Gridlocked Hearts

V

The sun crept through the luxurious linen curtains, casting a warm glow over Claude's face as he stirred from his slumber. His eyes fluttered open, taking in his surroundings, but the first thing he noticed was the emptiness of the bed beside him. Panic set in as he scanned the room for any sign of Matteo's presence, but there was nothing. Not even a note.

The signed NDA that a room service concierge had hastily printed for them the night before sat on the bedside table, a stark reminder of the reason for their tryst. Claude sighed, running a hand through his tousled hair, feeling a wave of disappointment and regret wash over him. Would it always be like this?

Part of him was relieved at Matteo's hasty retreat. After the shocking realisation that he bore a striking resemblance to his new teammate and rival, Noah, Claude's attraction had dissipated like smoke in the wind. Now he wouldn't have to face the model's piercing gaze and be reminded of the man he loathed.

He got up, feeling restless, and walked over to the window, gazing out at the city skyline. Milan was an interesting city. It seemed to sprawl out before him, a sea of red-tiled roofs and winding streets. The Duomo di Milano, the city's iconic cathedral, dominated the skyline, its intricate spires and statues rising proudly towards the sky.

In the distance, he could see the snow-capped peaks of the Alps, a stunning contrast against the bustling metropolis. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a warm orange glow over the city and turning the sky into a canvas of pinks and purples.

Below, he could see people starting their day. Cars zipping through the streets, people hurrying to work or school. None of them had any idea what had transpired the night before.

He considered ordering room service when he heard his phone ping. It was a message from Theo. He smirked, opening it expecting it to be some joke about Claude's 'game' with Matteo, but his face immediately fell as he read it.

"Have you seen this?"

"Blanchett shades new teammate, Beaufort, after Frenchman is spotted partying in Milan,"

Claude's eyes widened at the article. Surely, Noah had not been stupid enough to do this.

The rumoured rivalry between Ferrari's new teammates, Noah Blanchett and Claude Beaufort, appears to be escalating following a series of tweets by Blanchett that some fans believe are directed towards his French counterpart.

Beaufort, the 22-year-old runner-up of the last championship, was spotted in Milan late last night with fellow racer Theo Larsen, and paparazzi photos captured the two entering an exclusive members-only nightclub and taking shots inside.

Shortly after the pictures were released, Blanchett took to Twitter with some cryptic messages that seemed to criticise Beaufort's partying habits:

"Looks like some people have been enjoying their off-season a little too much."

"It's a shame when potential is wasted by distractions."

The two drivers gained notoriety last season when their heated argument turned physical, leading to the infamous "punch-gate" incident.

We reached out to Ferrari for a statement, but they declined to comment.

Apparently, Noah had been stupid enough.

———

Claude had been anxiously anticipating the summons from Ferrari headquarters, so when it finally came, he wasn't surprised. The media circus surrounding his feud with new teammate Noah had been growing for days, fuelled by Noah's not-so-subtle subtweets and snarky comments. Claude had almost shattered another phone in frustration after seeing the hashtag #TheFrenchAndTheFurious trending on F1 Twitter, and he knew that things were only going to get worse from there.