DNF - c.l [1]

01:00

"Welcome to the 2023 Grand Prix, we are back in Bahrain for the first practice back of the season," I could hear David Croft's voice echoing around the garage as I tie my hair up and tuck it into the back of my suit, picking up my helmet from the shelf.

"However, this season is off to an unusual start as we welcome our newest driver for this years grid, haven taken the internet by storm the past few days,"

I try to drown out the radio commentators by putting my ear pieces in and putting my helmet on, making sure it fit comfortable and my hair wasn't a distraction.

"That's right David, I was not expecting this news to come out of the Ferrari garage this year that is for sure," Martin Brundle now filling the empty space, letting in a deep breath I close my eyes.

everyone around me was running at a million miles an hour, quickly trying to set things up before the practice began.

"After Carlos Sainz's injury last month, Ferrari have had to fill in his position upon the grid with a filler, however it isn't every season, or ever, we are greeted with a female driver."

my eyes are still closed, trying to pin point my attention onto one thing that was going on. the radio.

"Madeline Scott is a new face we are yet to see around here before, she has taken Sainz's position for the rest of the season until further notice, the first ever female driver to grace the grid."

my hands were becoming clammy with nerves as I tried to steady my breathing, but nothing could stop my heart from beating as fast as it was going currently.

"Scott," I hear my name being called from behind my closed eyes and I wasn't ready yet.

"Scott!" I hear them again, opening my eyes I see Frederic Vasseur, the new team principle standing a few feet away from me, his hands outreached.

although the visor on my helmet was down, there was no way he couldn't sense my fear through.

"come on darling, get it together, we need you," he says softly, putting a hand on my back and pushing my further into the garage, closer to the car.

this is what I had been dreaming of my entire life, countless hours on the track in an F2 car, in the garage fixing my own car when I didn't have a team that believed in me, and here I was, filling in for a driver on the F1 grid.

I step into the car, adjusting myself in the seat to get comfortable, watching everyone around me hustling to get everything ready.

"Radio check?" I hear in my ears, one last breathe.

"Loud and clear Albert," I say back as one of the mechanic's pass me my steering wheel as one of the technicians start to walk into the pit lane to see if I'm free to go.

"Remember Madeline, breathe," Vasseur said into my ear before I saw the signal ahead of me to drive out.

I accelerate into the pit lane, not thinking of anything else other than driving.

this was my chance, and my only chance, to prove I was worthy enough of a seat next year. even if I was only driving for a few races before Carols came back, someone had to see how much I deserved this, how much I needed this.

"Please welcome, Madeline Scott everyone," the room had cheered when I first stepped into my first boardroom meeting a few weeks ago, where I had met the team I would be working with closely for the next few races.

"Pleasure to meet you all," I gleamed back in confidence, when all I wanted to do was sink off into the side of the room and not say a word.

I sat at that table, nodding and smiling as presentations and slideshows were shown to me and the rest of the team for this years strategy.

"Sorry I'm late," a voice has stopped the room dead in it's track, everyone turning to look at the door as to who had just came in.

"Charles, so nice of you to join us," Vasseur had said sarcastically as he sat down next to me at the end of the table.

"This is Madeline Scott," Vasseur pointed out to me for Charles to notice.

he scanned me up and down, very visibly, not trying to hide it, "new media handler?" he grinned questioning me.

"Driver, actually." I stated blankly, I turned my back to him before I could see his reaction.

a few guys laughed inwardly around the table before being silenced by Vasseur continuing his presentation.

the car was hot, too hot for my liking and my hands that were already clammy, now almost slipping in my gloves for grip as I turned the wheel at the hairpin.

I had to prove myself.

the track had so much traffic, with Lewis and George ahead of me in Mercedes cars.

DRS just activating as I fly past them, George giving my a thumbs up as I pass. I smile in my helmet and remember to thank him later.

just as I'm coming into turn 15, Charles pushes past me, barley scraping my outside tire as he throws his car ahead of me.

"Albert what the fuck was that," I yell. I was on time for making pole until that.

"Hold on one moment Scott, I'm just speaking to Vasseur now," Albert replied.

I push the car harder, trying to keep up with Charles as he was now only half a second ahead. coming into turn 2 I see an opening and push my way for it, instantly getting cut off.

I could already hear David Croft's comments on this.

"Albert please, sort this guy out before I do," I hiss, sweat now dripping from my forehead.

Vasseur had ended the presentation, encouraging people to mingle and get to know each other as I wasn't only the new face this season.

as I stood to make my way over to the group forming in the corner of the room, a firm hold is placed on my arm, stopping me for going any further.

"Are you actually a driver? or is this some prank?" Charles has asked me, his voice hushed and his breath fanning onto my face.

"Do I look like a joke to you?" I tilt my head.

his glance harden and his grip dropped, so I took a step back.

"I won't allow this." he states, making his way to the door where Vasseur had left.

"What? won't allow a girl to be better than you?" I taunted him, catching the looks of a few other around us.

I was in his slipstream now, right up his ass before he suddenly took a sharp left, leaving an opening for me on his right.

coming up alongside him, I hold off shooting away, instead making a scissor action with my fingers, "chop chop Leclerc," I said to myself, chuckling.

but he didn't let off as we made it to corner 12, battling again, at one point having contact enough to push me off the track onto the dirt.

Max Verstappen: 1.338

Madeline Scott: 1.342

Charles Leclerc: 1.345

we pulled into the pit lane at the same time, pulled into the grade at the same time, jumped out of our cars at the same time.

"Are you fucking serious?" Charles screamed at me from across the garage, the cameras from outside turning and zooming in on us.

taking my helmet off I pass it to Albert who was already at my side, trying to get me to stop as people were watching.

"Me? you're the one who cut me off and caused me pole position!" I yelled back at him, storming my way over to him as he unzipped his suit.

"You were in the way." he hissed at me through gritted teeth, pointing. "I was ahead of you!" I rip my hair out of the hair tie, letting my hair fall down my back as it was giving me a headache as much as Charles was.

"Enough, both of you, everyone is watching," Vasseur placed himself in front of me, his back to Charles.

his stare on me holds for a few sections longer before he rushes out the back door, leaving the garage silent.