I KNOW PLACES | George Russell

4. Qualifying

Bahrain
Qualifying

Ariella's pov

The free practices were okay. I managed to stay within the top 6 with my times, and everyone was pretty happy about it.

I pace in my driver's room. Qualifying starts soon but my nerves are taking over my entire body.

A knock on my door is followed by James, my trainer, peeking his head in the door.

"Hey qualifying is soon and I need to work with you on some things really quickly."

"Yeah, okay." Oh my god my voice is shaking. I sound like I'm about to cry.

"Woah, are you okay?" James opens the door fully now, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him.

I nod. "I'm fine just nervous is all." I try to shake the nerves. Literally shaking my entire body as if it'll do anything.

"I have a feeling you're going to do great out there today. Your free practice times were amazing, you've got it." James has been a friend of mine for more years than I can remember.

"Okay. That training?" Maybe it'll ease some of my nerves.

It didn't shake my nerves. It helped some, knowing my reaction times were still in check, but my nerves were still very much there.

James makes me do breathing exercises with him, convinced it will help.

"This isn't working."

"Not with that attitude it's not. Now cmon, in through your nose... hold it... and out." I follow his moves. "It's only qualifying, you'll do fine."

"It's only qualifying." I mock him, walking away to my car sitting in the garage. He laughs, following me.

Getting into the car, the engineers triple check the car to make sure everything is as it should be. James taps the helmet twice as a way to say good luck, before he walks off to a place behind me I cannot see.

"Okay Ariella, Q1 in 2 minutes, just try your best. You've got it, good luck." My engineer, Rocky, speaks through the radio that was just connected.

"Copy, thank you."

Q1 starts good. My first time bumps me into pole but it doesn't last long, quickly getting outdone by multiple other drivers, including my teammate. But I make it through Q1 safely.

"Nicely done, keep it up." Rocky encourages after the end of Q1.

"Thank you, Rocky. Couldn't have done it without you." Which is true, Rocky was a huge help in telling me other racers positions and how much I needed to push.

"That was amazing Ariella. Way to get out there!" Christian is the one speaking over the radio now.

"Thank you Christian, that means a lot."

Q2 went similarly to Q1. My nerves have lifted off a little. I feel more comfortable in the car now compared to this morning.

Now I'm into Q3. This one I really need to get some good results on, since it decides where I start tomorrow.