On Track For A Legacy (Formula 1)

Curse and a blessing

(AJs P.O.V.)
I had quite a depressive first qualifying. I had good pace in Q1, earning me the third fastest lap. My team mate, Sebastian the second fastest with just 0.31 seconds behind Max with the fastest lap. Q2 I went out and began to ride my lap. I was on a good lap, but sadly had to avoid a crash with a slow driving Alpine. I had to go wide, which messed up my pace and gained me an 13th spot. "Did you see the Alpine?" I asked my racing engineer in annoyence, "copy that. We will be checking it. How are the tyres?" Jack asked. I turned my head to look at my front tyres "have a flat spot on front left" I told him. "Alright, come back to the pit. We'll change tyres and bring you back out". "It's going to be tight" I said driving into the pitlane. The pitcrew stood ready to change all four tyre. I had a good relationship with all of them. I stopped the Audi and felt it being lifted up. The sound of the wheelguns unfastening the tyre caps filled my ears, a satisfying sound. It felt like a long pitstop in my opinion, to long. I turned my head and saw one of my crew turned to the garage with the wheelgun raised up. Oh no, I thought. Realising what was happening. The wheel gun of my front left pitcrew member had given up working. "AJ, you can get out of the car. The time is up for Q2. You're starting on P13" Jack announced. I let out a deep sigh "well, that sucks". The Audi was pushed in the garage and I jumped out after it was completely in the box. I pulled my helmet off and placed it down when Jeremy, the left tyre wheel gunner, walked towards me. I turned to face him "my apologies-" he began but I cutt him off, "oh don't worry. It's not your fault. Just some bad luck" I told him, "we'll get them in the race" I said smiling and giving him a patt on the shoulder before walking off to go watch the screens. Although my media manager tried getting me to go to the media boxes already, I refused. I always kept looking at the quali if my team mate was still in. Sebastian was doing well. Fast pace, perfect lines. I fist-bumped his pitcrew when he came he placed P4. "Not your best quali, huh, Senna" Seb said climbing out his car. I shrugged my shoulder at him "Thankfully, it's the race that counts" I told him with a smirk and he laughed. We soon made our way towards the media boxes, while discussing what happened during our qualificationa. "P13, I imagine you are not happy with that?" The interviewer told me. I shrugged my shoulders "yes, I had hoped for a better quali. Atleast make it to Q3 considering the laps we had during practise. But sometimes things don't go as planned. So we will keep our head up high and focus ourselves on the race" I answered, "what do you think your father would say if he saw you place P13 in your first quali?". My fingers gripped tightly as he mentioned my father. I deeply thought about something, what would he say if he saw me place P13 in the quali. Ah I remember. "He would laugh and say that I placed that low simply for the fact that I love racing. After all, you don't really race from P1". I finished with the Ziggo Sport interviewer and moved to Sky Sports. "Have you talked to Piere Gasly yet?" He continued. I raised an eyebrow at him. "Why should I talk to Piere?". "He was the one who messed up your qualification". I hadn't really thought which of the two Alpine drivers it was that messed with my qualification. And I also didn't really care for it that much. I shrugged my shoulders "its just a qualification. Its the race that counts" I told the reporter. He didn't like my answer. He probably wanted to stir up some contraversy between me and Piere. But I refuse to start a fight because of something ridiculous as being hindered. Every racer has been hindered by someone or has hindered someone else in their career. Yes, its annoying at that time. But in the grand scheme of things, the only thing that will happen is that you need to fight harder in the race. And I for one, like to fight in a race.

I stood in front of my trainer. Catching the tennisballs from his hands as a reaction test. Behind me all of the 22 cars stood lined up for the start. Finally, I got the clear to get into the car. I got inside and wiggled my legs into the frame of the car. John one of my pitcrew, helped fasten my neckbrace behind me. While Charlie gave me my steeringwheel. I began to feel the nerves starting to build up in my body. I let out a shaking breath. "Radio check" I said coming trough my radio, "loud and clear" Jack replied. Coming through clear aswell. "Take a deep breath, AJ" Jack told me after hearing my shaking breath. I took in a breath before letting it out. Calming my nerves "Thanks Jack". I looked past the 12 cars in front of me, down the long straight and to turn 1. Making a small plan for myself how to attack or defend my position. I looked in my side mirror to look at the 9 remaining cars behind me. Valtteri beside me, Zhou and Yuki behind me. My Audi could take on the Alpha Romeos and the Alpha Tauri on the striaght. But knowing that Bottas is an expierenced rider and won't give up on his place so easily. Nico and Lando who stood in front of me would also be the same. But maybe they would be to focussed on each other and not on me. But first, I'll focus on Bottas. He was on the inside for turn one. So I had to make sure to come in front of him so I can come ahead of him in turn 2. Then I'll move up to Norris who now stood right infront of me. The lights went out for the formation lap. At that moment I was away quicker than Bottas, but because it was formation lap. I had to stay behind him. He passed me and now I could behin to warm up my tyres. The cars in front of me moved, like me, from left to right. Trying to get the tyres as warm as possible. We all made it to the starting position. I lined my car up straight. I looked up at the lights. My heart beating more and more faster. The first two lights came on. Come on stick to your plan, I reminded myself. The second pair of lights came on. First Bottas then the rest. The third pair lit up. I took in a deep breath. The forth pair and the fith pair came on. My brain completely empty from any thoughts, apart from the ones of my plan. Pure concentration in my eyes as I kept them on the lights. Waiting for all of the lights to turn off. Indicating the start of the season was on its way. Patiently waiting. Catiously watching the lit up lights. Contonuosly alert. Sitting there doing nothing untill you get the signal. Then, there it came. All lights went off. Without a thought in my mind, I set the car in motion.

Published: 29th of May 2023