Mon Chéri

17

Third person:

The stands filled with fans as the rain poured down on Imola, Italy. The crew of every team scrambled around trying to make sure everything was perfect for their drivers to give them the best chance they could. Most of the attention was on the number sixteen Redbull car of Charles Leclerc that was starting in P2 behind his teammate Max Verstappen. The rest of the attention goes to the P3 starter, the number sixty-eight Ferrari of Nova Daniels.
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"Here we are in Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Rain should be clearing up midway through the race. We also have a guest with us today, Allen Prost." A few moments later the Italian Anthem played and all the drivers stood with umbrellas covering them. The anthem finished and the drivers made their way back to the paddock and into their garages. As the cars were rolled out the fans were ecstatic. All rolling out of the paddock you could hear and feel the rumble of the engines.
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The formation lap ended and all the drivers were taking their spots on the grid. The last car stopped and seconds later the lights started going. As soon as that red disappeared the cars came even more to life and took off. "Leclerc off to an amazing start, Verstappen right behind him and Daniels right on Verstappen."
The race has started. Everyone wondered if Leclerc would win once again and if he did he'd tie his season record from 2022 with Ferrari. Laps ticked by and at the start of lap six Daniels was coming up fast on Verstappen. Down the front stretch, she flew by him after darting with her sights set on Leclerc. As she set the fastest lap each lap for the next four laps at the start of lap eleven she was going for Leclerc. Catching him like there was nothing ever going to stop her. As they set up for turn two the start of the first Chicane Daniels tried to out-brake him on the outside and he tried to do the same. This caused Leclerc to lock up due to him having to make a tighter turn and he slid into Daniels. Thankfully they both stayed on track and there wasn't any damage, that anyone could see at least. "There's something wrong with the right front." "Copy that. Bring it in and we will check."
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After getting told his car was fine and there was no damage he went back out in fifth. Daniels continued and stayed in the lead as she didn't feel an issue with her car. Verstappen sitting right behind her waiting for her to make a mistake or slip as she had never raced in rain before. As Leclerc chased down the field in an attempt to gain back his win, Verstappen and Daniels were in a battle for the top of the podium. On lap thirty-five going into turns fourteen and fifteen the rear end of Verstappen's car slipped. The car slid to just the side of the rumble strips so he was able to get back on. After hearing this Leclerc started pushing the car harder than he ever had pushed a car in the rain. "My car still feels wrong. Front right." "We checked and saw nothing but when you come in for new tires we will check it again. For the time being, just go."
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Lap forty-five and the rain had just stopped. Everyone went in for intermediates so they wouldn't have to stop again so close to the end. As Leclerc pulled into the pit box they checked his car once again to find nothing. As soon as the tires were on and the car was dropped he took off lucky enough to still come out in third. Chasing down his teammate he was cutting corners tighter and setting the fastest lap each time as the track dried more and more.
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Lap fifty, going through turns five and six Leclerc gained on Verstappen. "Leclerc chasing Verstappen like his life depends on it." "It reminds me of Senna and Schumacher in '94 David." He set up for the far inside of turn seven and going in he hit a patch of water sending the left side of the car over the inside rumble strips putting more pressure on the right front suspension snapping the bars inside and sending the wheel under the car and sending Leclerc straight into the wall at 100mph. Watching the battle behind her Daniels saw the wreck slamming on her brakes and pulling off to the infield. As the car started to go up in smoke and flames there was nothing from Leclerc. Going in and out of consciousness barely able to open his eyes after the 52G hit. Running as fast as she could Daniels was going to Leclerc. "Nova no get back to your car." "Fuck that I'm not letting him die." As she finally reached the car it was engulfed in flames but it didn't stop her mission. She reached in standing in the flames and breathing in the smoke trying to undo his seat belts and pull him out. "Word wakker, kom op, ik kan je niet kwijtraken, waag het alsjeblieft niet om op mij te sterven. Ik hou van je en je moet het weten." Finally, she got him out and pulled him away from the car laying him on the ground. The officials had gotten there just as she laid him down so she took a few steps back and unstrapped her helmet pulling it over her head along with her head sleeve. She walked back to her car and slipped her helmet on. She drove back to the pit box and got out once they got her in the garage. As medics tended to Charles to get him in an ambulance the stands were quiet and every team sat watching their screens to see if he was alive. Nova sat in her driver's room with tears streaming down her face not knowing if or when she'd see him again. They finally got him in the ambulance and took off to the hospital a few minutes later the race was restarted and Verstappen won with Sainz second and Hamilton third.