With the motorsport world finally putting light on the women of racing, one racer was ready to work her way up to the Formula 1 grid. As a Formula 2 rookie, she struggled, but with Red Bull Racing behind her, she was sure to cause one of hell of a c...
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The thing about Anneli was that she never posted much of her private life over social media, only every now and again to show she was alive and lived a life outside of racing. She never posted about her friends and she never even mentioned the fact she'd had a boyfriend. The good thing was that she then didn't have to announce any breakups.
That didn't stop fans from posting their own things but Anneli never cared. She constantly saw people starting rumours that she and Felipe were together or that Jack and she made a couple of sibling duo or something like that. She found it funny so she never really complained.
Her time in the Red Bull factory lasted most of the day she was there and Anneli felt like she had little to no social battery left. She knew she wanted one thing and that was food...and not knowing anywhere in Milton Keynes, let alone England, Max Verstappen was the one she called.
He'd already told her he wanted to meet up while she was there and Anneli was never shy to take someone up on an offer.
"Hey, Anneli!" Max smiled.
"Hello Max," Anneli replied smoothly.
"No Elijah or your dad?" Max questioned.
"I flew alone so no," Anneli answered. "Not that I would have brought Elijah anyway...your advice was...right."
Max raised an eyebrow.
"He's the reason my favourite snowboard is broken," Anneli concluded lightly. "I don't like people breaking my shit."
"Neither," Max agreed with a small laugh. "So...?"
"My dad will not let him near me so you won't be seeing him around," Anneli added. "I am not sure if I am supposed to be upset or not."
"If you're not, I don't think you liked the guy in the first place," Max shrugged honestly.
"We need to stop talking about my failed relationships every time we meet, do you know that?" Anneli hummed, kicking a rock. "What about you, what are your winter plans?"
"No a lot," Max shrugged. "I like racing in other vehicles, like rally cars."
Anneli perked up at this, stopping her stare at the rock on the ground. Interestingly, Anneli quite liked more violent or adventurous ports and rallying fell into that category for her.
"You like rally cars?"
"Yeah," Max beamed. "We should race one time and I have sports cars through my series. If you are going to be around the paddock more often, we should get along, no?"
Anneli nodded. She knew that it was a good idea and perhaps, if people saw that she was a good team player as well as a driver, they would be more inclined to think about her. She wanted that.
Max and Anneli seemed to naturally get along anyway because the Fin and Dutchman had the same level of humour and understanding. They didn't need false pretences if they had nothing to say.
"I found out that I have a new teammate next year," said Anneli lightly as they walked into the quiet restaurant. "His name is Arthur Leclerc."
"Oh, Charles' brother?" Max realised.
Anneli nodded as she sat down.
"I am flying out to Monaco to meet him just before Christmas," Anneli replied. "I have always done that with teammates. I do not like the first time we meet to be on the race track."
"Ah cool, I live in Monaco," Max replied smoothly. "It's nice."
"Not as nice as Switerzland," Anneli hummed. "I love it there."
"Because of the snowboarding?" Max laughed.
"That too," Anneli nodded curly, lips turning up into a small file. "Living with my dad is very stressful. The only downside to F2 is being broke."
Max shrugged. "You'll get into F1 one day, you're too good of a driver."
"Enough driver talk," Anneli demanded. "Uh...what do you do for fun?"
"I like esports," Max replied. "And hanging with my mates in Monaco too. Yachts and stuff. Lando has a little girl called Lily and we take her and Penelope, my ex-girlfriend's daughter, places."
"You still see your ex-girlfriend's kid?" Anneli questioned curiously.
Perhaps Anneli didn't know much about relationships, all things considered, but dealing with kids was something she really had no idea about. Then again, if Minttu and her dad split up, Anneli couldn't imagine a life where she didn't see her step-mother so maybe she was overthinking it.
"Well I was with Kelly for years, we both thought it was unfair for me to just leave forever from P's life. She is with her dad most the time but she and Lily are good friends," Max explained.
"Do you do anything for fun, other than snowboarding?" Max asked.
"Drinking—"
"I gathered that from Abu Dhabu—"
"— and annoying my group chat with Jack and Felipe or the F2 group. I also take my brother karting and paint with my sister."
"I cannot imagine you painting," Max replied with a small chuckle.
Max Verstappen had not known Anneli Räikkonen for long. However, her features gave him the impression of some things. She imagined she spent a lot of time in the gym because she was tall but well-built with muscles on show most of the time. Her face was mainly neutral, giving him the impression she was a little more difficult to get laughing and her tolerance for Alcohol told him she could party.
He was just wrong on a few things. He never would have thought she looked like a person who would sit down a paint and he'd been wrong to think she wasn't talkative. She just needed the right topic.
"I know you and Mick are friends," Anneli commented. "Maybe we should meet up sometime. Mick's always begging to visit me because I am his favourite, obviously."
"Who says you are his favourite?"
"I do and Seb backs me up," Anneli smirked.
"Of course, Sebastian would back you up, you are his goddaughter," Max added with a stern look.
"How do you know that?"
"Christian told me," Max shrugged. "Was it a secret?"
"No...people just forget!" Anneli huffed. "But Sebastian also doesn't like to lie."
"I will admit that."
Despite the two rather odd personalities, they spent the rest of the evening talking about completely random things. From food in their countries to celebrities they had met, it was everything apart from racing. Anneli liked that.
Perhaps this was a friendship she was willing to try for.
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