All the Way - an F1 story

26

22 August , 2021
📍Stezzano, Italy

BREAKING
HAAS F1, MAZEPIN, TO MOVE TO INDY FOR 2022

"Why didn't you say anything!"

Calina had nearly spit her coffee out when she read the headline, all while ensuring the Pagani was locked for the fiftieth time before slinging her bag over her shoulder. She was out in front of the Scuderia Pagani factory, having just arrived when she had seen the article. It was far too early in the morning, she was extremely tired, and was dreading the long list of tasks she had for the day ahead. "Mick, what if you don't have a seat next year!"

She could hear his sigh through her headphones. On her screen, she could see Mick was in the dining room of his home in Switzerland, a home she herself was quite familiar with, having been to it many times in her childhood.

"Cal, other teams do want me, and even if it doesn't work out, then Ferrari will find me something," he sighed. "Look, I'm not worried. Things will work out. What about you, anyways?"

"Lindsay has been talking to Marco," Calina replied, waving at the receptionist, before following the familiar path through the lobby. "I'm supposed to hear back soon, but apparently he made his decision."

Mick was silent for a moment, thinking. Like her, he was probably trying to guess if that was good or bad. "Are you there now?"

"Yeah, but I don't want to ask."

"Yeah, don't go ask."

"I wasn't! I don't want to seem desperate."

"True, but either way you'll be fine. I think you got it."

"Don't jinx it, please."

"I'm not having this fucking conversation again, Calin—"

Calina had just entered the meeting room she usually left her things in when she visited the factory, and Marilena had just appeared at the doorway, scaring her half to death. "What the fuck!"

"We need to go—who are you talking to?" Calina flipped her phone around, so Marilena could see Mick. "Oh, hi Mick. Anyways, we need to go, dai."

Mick bid his goodbyes, and Calina wasted no time following Marilena. She was led through hallway after hallway, through to the marketing department and her office.

"So, after we are done with breakfast, you and I need to go over the response from the media activities before the break. You will be in the sim until lunch. The engineers want to meet after, they will do your seat fit, then you will be free." Marilena said, gathering papers she had laid out across her desk.

Calina sighed, smiling politely as they passed a group of aero engineers on their way out. "Today is going to be a lot of work, isn't it?"

"Yes, but we have lots to do before the season starts again," Marilena replied. "We have new upgrades to test, and some things to figure out for next year's car."

"What will I be doing?"

"You are testing the '22 car. They want to try an updated aero setup."

"Let me guess, 4 hours? Maybe 3, if I'm lucky." Marilena shot her a half-pointed, half-amused look. Calina held up her hands in surrender. "I'm joking, Mari!"

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀

"That was so shit. You saw how I took the corner."

"Calina, it was fine. Try again, if you want." Calina huffed, gripping the steering wheel again as the simulator was reset, and her virtual car was back at Blanchimont. Once they had finished the necessary testing, Melissa insisted on practising a bit for the race in Belgium. She was fairly determined to get Calina to stop hesitating when going flat out on the track, but the driver wasn't as keen as she was.