DNF - c.l [1]

37:00

"Welcome back to the 2023 Japanese Gran Prix," David Croft's voice echo's throughout the garage.

I was sat with Albert at the wall in the garage with a headset on, watching as Charles and Carlos did their formation lap before the race began.

Carlos had done well in qualifying yesterday, placing P7 considering he hadn't been racing for half the season, off with a broken arm. Charles placed P14, not the best, resulting in a very grumpy man for the past 24 hours.

He had kept me up all night as he was complaining to one of his friends on the phone for hours, yelling and throwing things around in his room.

"Radio check," I comms in for Charles, he had Amanda ask me if he could have me as his race coordinator this morning, although I hadn't seen him since he left the hotel and not anywhere on the grid this morning.

"Loud and clear amor," he says in a better mood than what he had been for the past 24 hours.

I watch out the garage as he pulls into P14, getting ready for the lights.

"Have a safe race," I say, still looking out at his car.

I see his helmet turn in his car to look over in my direction as he gives me a thumbs up and I smile, returning it.

"Watch the lights." I press the button to say, feeling the same nerves as I would if I was actually sat in the car.

I watch the lights, counting down and when they all go out I hold my breath, watching as all the cars roar into gear, taking off.

Turning on my chair I look back at the live stream in front of me; Charles had already moved up 2 places into P12, I clapped my hands as the rest of the garage applauded for Carlos who was now P5, having overtaken Lewis and Lando in front of him.

I couldn't drop my hands from my chest as I clutched onto them in hopes it would calm my nerves, I never knew I would be just as stressed sitting here as I did sat in the car, with my hair beginning to stick to my back, now regretting wearing the backless bodysuit instead of a normal t-shirt.

"I think I have damage," Charles voice floods my headset, looking at the delayed live stream I see Alex had tried overtaking him, in the process, having clipped his rear wheel on only the 1st lap.

"Okay hold on we're looking into it," I reply, as the technicians and race strategist discuss what was the best thing to do.

"Tell him to pit," Andrew, one of the strategist says to me, "on the first lap? Are you insane?" I try to change their theory as the grid was still bunched up together, but by the looks of the on-board GoPro, the wheel didn't look like it was going to hold on much longer.

"Okay Charles we're pitting this lap," I comms into him as he's passing the home straight past the garage into lap 2.

"This is ridiculous," he complains, I could hear him already out of breath as he continued to try and fight off Alex behind him.

He pits, letting Alex get ahead of him as he falls back a place, I knew he wasn't happy so I asked if Albert could take over for me.

Just as I'm taking off my headset, the livestream moves to a crash between Carlos and George.

"And- Oh my gosh, Carlos has gone right into the side of the Mercedes car!" David's voice yells throughout the garage, the mechanics all stand from their chairs in dismay, watching the stream.

George was climbing out of his car, which was broken to pieces, the complete rear end of the car broken off in two pieces, with Carlos smashed into the barrier.

George marches over to Carlos's car and the two exchanged what looks to be a heated argument, involving a lot of pointing and shoving before the marshals are quick to split them apart.

"Safety car deployed Charles," I say through the comms, my hands shaking slightly from the adrenaline. 

Eventually I notice George coming back to the Mercedes garage next door, looking rather pissed off as he explains what happened between him and Carlos to Toto, who looked just as pissed off.

Stepping back into the Ferarri garage, Carlos was rounding the corner too, making direct eye contact with me.

"Guess you're happy," he sighs, throwing his gloves and helmet onto the desk beside Albert, making him jump.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I glare back at him, my hands on my hips as I stand behind Albert who was now starring at me with wide eyes as I pick a fight.

"Don't pretend to not be happy Scott, we all know you're after my seat," he laughs, undoing his suit.

"Why the hell would I be happy when my friend's car is in two?" I was getting angry, the cars whizzing past the pit lane in the background, making me have to raise my voice more.

He rolls his eyes and begins to walk away, I go to yell out to him again but Albert places a hand on my arm, shaking his head.

I groan and stalk away to the Mercedes garage to go and find George, hoping he could pull me from the pissed off mood I was now in.

"Madeline," Toto nods at me, moving his attention away from the live stream in front of him for a split second. I return with a strained smile before sitting down next to George in a stool.

"You doing okay?" I ask him about the crash.

He sighs, running a hand through his sweaty hair, "annoyed but is what it is, at least Lewis is doing good," he motions back to the live feed, Lewis currently being P2, also now noticing Charles had moved up the grid to P6.

I sit and watch the rest of the race from the Mercedes garage, not wanting to run into Carlos just yet.

"Here, put this on, you'll be wearing it for real soon enough," George winks at me as he passes me a Mercedes hat.

I hesitantly take it, placing it onto my head and pulling my low ponytail through and out the back.

"Mmm, yeah, suits you well." He smiles, pulling the cap front down playfully. I smack his hand away, push him back on the stool.

I see the cars coming into the pit lane, Charles parking in front of the P3 sign, "I better get going," I say, standing from the stool, "see you later?"

"In a bit Scott," George waves me off, also standing from his chair.

I make my way over to Charles who was doing the rounds of hugging the mechanics who were pushing against the barriers, applauding him for his placing.

He spots me in the crowd and hurries over to me, a grin plastered on his face.

"Well done darling," I say as he embraces me tightly, the smell of sweat heavily on him but I allowed it for how hard he had raced.

He pulls away from the hug slightly, looking behind him like he was searching for someone before he notices the hat on my head.

"We can get rid of that," he says, ripping it from my head and throwing it into the crowd behind me before he places a kiss on my lips, the crowd around us cheering loudly.

We pull away from the kiss and I can't stop myself from smiling ear to ear as he beams down at me, not letting go of my waist.

I look around and notice Toto not standing too far away, my smiling dropping from my face as my stomach drops slightly.

He taps his wrist at me, motioning that my time for making a decision was running out. I gulp down the lump in my throat, looking back at Charles who was still smiling down at me.

But all I could think about was Mercedes.