The Mclaren driver was tying the laces of his Nikes, his fluffy, light brown hair reflecting the hot Italian sun.
Ana lifted her hand and shielded her eyes from the UV rays, "I think so."
"Do I look good?" Lando fixed his hair slightly.
"Like a model" Ana took her phone out and snapped a photo of the Brit before posting to her story.
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The two rookies prepared for the media, Lando reassuring Ana with a smile. Ana looked at him and swore nothing had changed since when they were little.
"You know I always knew you were going to make it" he turned to her.
Ana was taken back by his words, finding a sense of comfort in knowing throughout their childhood he'd supported her. Ana smiled, shortly the two were separated to do pre-qualifying interviews.
The time until qualifying was now nearing, the drivers were changing from their kits into their race suits. Ana's hair was braided, and her helmet was placed next to her gloves which she would put on last.
"Nervous Petranov?" Max had seemingly appeared out of thin air, making Ana question if he was a figment of her imagination.
"Not at all"
Max lifted his hand, pulling slightly on one of her braids. "I like your hair like this" he smirked.
Ana flicked the braid, concealing her smile with a look of disgust.
"Don't you like when I touch your hair?"
Max followed her to a table where she put on her gloves.
"In what sense?"
Max chuckled at her comment, she moved passed him, brushing her shoulder against his as she went to her car.
The Red Bull garage was filled with loud chatter, the engines of the cars seemed to rumble, making the newly made puddles ripple.
"Where did all this rain come from?" Ana slipped her helmet on.
"Hopefully it clears up before the race, we will keep an eye on it" Horner explained.
Ana nodded, slipping into the cockpit of the car, the seat fitting her like a glove.
The rain had come out of nowhere, it was heavy but not heavy enough to delay qualifying. The car slowed its way out of the garage and into the pit lane. Droplets of rain began obstructing Ana's view. This would be her first formula 1 qualifying in the rain and she'd dreaded it.
The sun had disappeared behind a thick cover of clouds and the sky had turned a shade of grey. The atmosphere was oddly eerie but Ana shook it off and kept her focus on achieving a good qualifying time. Her tyres warmed but her car was still hard to control.
"Driving isn't easy in these conditions" Ana spoke to Andrei, a hint of concern in her voice.
"Can you continue to drive?" He asked
"Yes.."
oh and Petranov loses control!! but she's back, she barely misses the wall she's incredibly lucky
Nearly missing the wall by centimetres, Ana managed to recover by drifting the car.
"Fuck" she cursed herself out
"Bring it in Ana, box" Andrei sat back down in his seat, he ran a hand through his hair.
Ana left her car then placed her helmet down, she was greeted by Horner who had grown a concern for Ana's ability in the rain.
"What happened?" He asked
"I lost control, I didn't mean to I-"
"It's okay, when you go back, focus on yourself ok" He squeezed her shoulder.
Ana imagined herself back in her karting days, when she'd go off the track or crash with another driver. It was never her father who'd lose his cool or yell, but instead her mother. Growing up in Russia, Ana was always the last one called in for dinner, when the sun had set and the street lamps turned on. She'd have mud on her shoes and hands and her and her brothers would laugh and fight and play.
She'd always been told by her mother to be more feminine and behave accordingly. To 'be like the other girls' and although she loved her mother to death, she resented her for warping her idea of femininity and womanhood.
"You ready to go back on?" A voice took Ana out of her deep thoughts.
Andrei had come from the pit wall, his headphones were around his neck. He crossed his arms and leaned in closer, looking down towards Ana.
"are you ok?"
His words made Ana ease, she relaxed. The three words that she had been waiting to hear since she started racing.
"Yes, thank you" she smiled.
Andrei continued to give Ana a small pep talk, he assured her he'd be with her every second of the qualifying session and that nothing bad would happen.
"You promise?" She asked
Andrei put out his pinky, Ana took it with her pinky.
"I promise.. Now get back out there" he pushed Ana towards her car, he gave her one last reassuring smile and a wave and made his way back to the pit wall.
She eased into the cockpit, putting her helmet on and breathing in deeply.
