Legacy Project

1

For the two months before Piper's F1 debut, she had been blissfully ignoring her nerves and enjoying a normal Kiwi summer. Christmas day spent on the beach, New Year's spent in Queenstown with Liam and Marcus, all the things any normal 20-year-old kiwi girl would get up to. She was lucky that Liam and Marcus didn't particularly want to talk about the formula series, seeing as they themselves were drivers. 

Liam Lawson and Piper had been attached to the hip since they were 7 years. They had started out at the same karting club in Auckland. 

Piper and Marcus Armstrong, however, were not always the closest. It wasn't until they were the only New Zealanders in a world of European racing, Liam opted to take the Australian route before venturing into the formula system. Frankly speaking, Piper actually used to hate Marcus. He always teased her about racing under her middle name, Alexandra, shortened to Alex. Her dad had thought it was the best option seeing as she was entering a very male dominant sport. Marcus used to call her a boy. It was stupid, but at 10, it made her want to run him off the track. If you had told 10 year old Piper she would spend the summer with him, she would have laughed in your face. To be fair to him, when they were 16 he had apologised, and admitted that he was just jealous he was being beaten by a girl younger than him. 

In 2020 and 2021 the pair had actually shared a flat, and now they were very close friends. Liam constantly pointed out that he and Piper were closer. They had all left New Zealand at the same time to head back to England. Piper had needed to be at Williams HQ for the start of february before testing. 

Testing hadn't gone particularly great for Piper, being shown up by her teammate, Alex Albon. Both were new at Williams that season, and Piper had been extremely frustrated, hoping that they would have been at the same level. Alex had approached her afterwards, "It's okay Piper, this isn't my first time in an F1 car, I'm sure once you get used to the car you'll be giving me some good competition". Over the three weeks of testing, Piper and Alex became great friends, seeing as Williams wouldn't "Let Piper out to play" quote Alex. Williams had kept Piper confined to the garage and hospitality, they didn't want to put pressure on her before the season started. Plus they were trying to keep her out of all the negativity surrounding her F1 debut. A lot of journalists, fans and even some drivers were not particularly fond of having a woman on the grid, saying she only got the seat because she was Bruce McLaren's granddaughter. Alex however didn't seem to care that she was a girl, or a rookie, or Bruce McLaren's granddaughter. He already treated her as if she was one of his own sisters. The pair had been staying in an Airbnb in Bahrain, seeing as there was no point going back to England after Bahrain testing, just to go back to Bahrain for the first Grand Prix of the season. Lily, Alex's girlfriend, took to Piper immediately, they loved the same music and the same movies, and they could relate to each other as female athletes. 

The two Williams drivers were on there way to track for Piper's first official media day. "You look nervous, if you're going to throw up, please throw up in that direction" Alex said pointing away from him. Piper rolled her eyes, smacking him on the shoulder. "So, Jost tells me you still need to decide what name to race under, Alexandra or Piper" Alex smiled cheekily, "Personally I think Alex is a fine name, we could be Alexception". Piper fake vomited, "I mean Piper is my first name, and you've already stolen Alex from me". "Technically he is Alexander," Patrick, Alex's Physio butted in. "Well if Physios get a say now, I personally think go Piper, and show everybody who doesn't like the fact you're a girl, just how much of a girl you are. Then kick their arses" Emma, Piper's physio said laughing. Emma also happened to be Piper's best friend. They had grown up together, and when she finally was a licensed physio and performance coach, Piper shipped her over from New Zealand. 

The car pulled up at Bahrain International Circuit, Alex, Patrick and Emma all climbed out quickly. Alex poked his head back through the door, looking at the younger girl. "Come on, I've got your back" motioning for Piper to get out of the car. Once she finally got out he put his arm over her shoulder and led her towards the paddock gates.