Against You

Grace's Mistake

Lando POV

The Qatar Grand Prix is one of my favourites. I love the dark. I love the desert. It reminds me of simpler times in the lower formulas, racing here with my friends. It reminds me of nights on the simulator and days at the beach.

It's a night race so I have the entire day to prepare, building myself up physically and mentally. I sleep in late, have a healthy breakfast in my room then report to the track for warm-ups and briefings. The mood is high after a run of impressive performances. Everyone's excited to get back on the podium again. I'll start from pole position, so there's a good chance we'll be partying tonight.

I pace up and down the sunny paddock, trying to keep my nerves under control. With my current form and some problems emerging in the Ferrari camp, I'll go top of the driver's standings if I get a podium in the race today. I know I can do it. I need to.

"How's it going, champ?" Zak Brown grins as he passes me outside the Aston Martin hospitality area. He's heading away from McLaren and, a little way behind him, Charlotte is also coming towards us.

"All good, all good," I murmur, not really knowing what to say. "I'm just trying to keep my adrenaline down otherwise I'll crash before the race is over."

"What? You definitely shouldn't crash!" His eyebrows rise and I realise my mistake.

"No! I meant an adrenaline crash, not a car crash!"

Zak Brown clutches his chest and breathes a sigh of relief. "Let's avoid both of those, then," he chuckles and continues towards the gates with a thumbs up.

As soon as I turn back towards the garage, I'm intercepted by Grace.

"Ready to go, champ?" she asks, using the same nickname for me as Zak Brown. I nod.

"I'm kind of nervous though. Not sure why."

"Don't worry," Grace says with a bold smile, "you'll be great. And nobody expects you to win absolutely everything. I know you'll put in your best performance either way."

"As long as Oscar doesn't ruin it for me. He's starting second, so you never know what nonsense he could pull at the beginning of the race."

"Ugh, forget about Oscar," she tosses her hair. "I hope he never wins a race. In fact, I hope he does something stupid and gets fired before the season is even over."

I stare at Grace wide-eyed. How can she say that? I didn't think anyone felt as strongly about Oscar as I do, and even I've never put my secret wishes into words like that. She laughs, throwing her head back, as if to cover the power of her statement. I stare at her for a couple of seconds before excusing myself back to the garage and the car.

"Let's go, Lando! Pole position!" Will slaps my back and I grin. The garage is bustling with life around me, tyres moving this way and that, people with papers speaking into headsets and mechanics warming up their bodies and their tools.

Grace's words echo in my head as I pull on my helmet and gloves. How can she hate Oscar as much as I do? So much that she doesn't want him here next season? She's never known McLaren without Oscar, or had any interaction with him before this season. It feels fake. Is she just saying these things to gain my approval?

Out on track, the mechanics strap me in and give me their last bits of advice. I try to clear all thoughts of Grace and Oscar from my mind as I complete the formation lap and crawl to my grid spot, accelerating and braking harshly to keep my tyres warm. A lifetime passes waiting for the red lights to start ticking down. Adrenaline courses through my body, keeping me sharp and making me sick.

My mind returns to what Grace said. Do I really hope Oscar never wins a race? Do I really hope he gets fired?

The lights go out.