His Racing Engineer [MV]

s e v e n t y - e i g h t

Epilogue

Sunday 22nd November 2028
Lucia Verstappen

I ended up taking the job. At the end of the 2025 season, I returned back to Red Bull Racing as the Head Racing Engineer taking over from Mason. Mainly because the man called my phone from October till the end of season telling me how much he'd feel better if I were the person he was leaving his role to. And because of Max who would, with every chance he got, tell me how much the team missed me and all the new things I'd be able to do.

"Jacob, Max's tire's aren't looking too fresh. Tell him to back out of these laps a little, Charles is 4 seconds behind so we have a little bit of a buffer" I radioed to Max's engineer who was out sitting on the pit wall, whilst I was sat in the garage where I was closer to Max's and I'd son and daughter. The two of them travelled the world with us, and sat in the garage every race weekend in their own seats. As Olive was 2 and was able to have a head set on, she sits and listens to her dad's radios with the biggest smile on her face and Silas, who is only 10 months old, is always sat with her with usually on Jessie's lap, who on race weekends helps us out with the pair of them when we are working and can't keep an eye on them.

With only 5 laps to go, pitting Max wasn't an option so we allowed Charles to gain until he got into the 2 second mark. "Jacob, tell Max he can kill these tires, we have two laps left and we can't let Leclerc get any closer" I radioed. "Mummy!" Olive coo'd from the barrier, which stopped her from running round the garage "Yes gorgeous?" I replied, quickly taking my eyes off the data screen in front of me to turn my attention to Max's double "I sit with you?" Olive asked with a little smile "Okay Livy" I returned the smile and took my head set off so I could pick her up and pull her over the barrier.

Sitting in my chair with Olive on my lap, we both watched as Max's car sped round and started his last lap of the 2028 season.

Over the course of the season, the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc and Mercedes of Lando Norris had been keeping everyone on their toes as every weekend there was no guarantee which one of them would win. As much as it was exciting, the stress Max had been under was almost twice as bad. Deciding it was best for us and our family, after the race and depending if he wins the championship or not, Max will announce his departure from the sport after the ceremony held a week after.

We wanted out children to have a proper place to call home and not have to move them every other week from hotel room to hotel room. We want Olive to make friends and go to nursery to learn and find herself a hobby that she really enjoys. We wanted Silas to have a concrete schedule so we don't have to wake him up at ungodly hours just so he will sleep at the next race weekend location. We wanted to be a Mum and Dad to our babies, we wanted to be the only people they know they can rely on rather than having to be looked after every race weekend whilst they watch us.

Holding my breath as Max turned the last corner and start the straight, he crossed the line in the P1 spot. Jumping straight out my seat, I place Olive on my hip and we cheered with the team. "Come here gorgeous, let's put this top on you" I reached into the cupboard under my desk to grab the custom tops I had made for both Olive and Silas. They were the Red Bull Racing official racing shirts that on the back said:

Daddy
01
6x WC

Quickly putting the top over the t-shirt Olive was already wearing, I gave Jessie the smaller top to put on Silas. "Shall we go see daddy?" I beamed, eager to go see my husband "Yeah!!!" Olive replied, her eyes lighting up.