I CAN SEE YOU

eleven

Running out of the meeting room as soon as it was over was the last thing I expected myself to do today, yet here I am.

The race had went exceptionally well, and it's definitely one that I'll always be proud of. Coming straight after the win at Monaco I definitely had a confidence boost for Baku, but after qualifying seventh yesterday I wasn't holding out much hope. However, by the end of lap 1 I had made it up to P4, which at the beginning of a race doesn't mean much, but it did just relight that glimmer of hope. By lap 13 with the help of a slow pit stop from Max, I managed to grab on to P1, leading the race for a lap, until I got brought in for my own pit stop that unfortunately had issues with the left rear tyre, meaning I dropped back to P3, just out in front of Lewis. From then on Redbull were leading the race comfortably after Sebastian had fell back, with Max up to P1 and myself behind him defending the both of us, a clear chance to get Redbull their first 1,2 of the season. That was until lap 46, driving down the main straight when all of a sudden I seen Max in front, the car turning to the right and straight in to the barricade, spinning around. I had swerved to the left, not wanting to get any punctures or ruin my own race, but I immediately asked if he was alright to which Hugh had responded with a simple "yes". From there on out it was up to me to bring it home for the bulls, the pressure from both sides of the garage had resided on my shoulders. The race had been red flagged to clear up the debris, meaning that the fight for the win came down to one single lap around the Baku circuit, from lights out to the checkered flag. I could lie and say that I hadn't been worried at all, but I'd be fooling no one considering I had a seven time world champion to the left of me and four time world champion on my arse. I just knew I had to get the start in, or else I'd be finished.

But I didn't.

At lights out Hamilton rushed up my inside, securing the favourable inside line to the first corner, leaving me to watch my win wash away.

But then it came crashing back as Lewis locked up, becoming trapped as a passenger in his own car, going straight forward as I took the corner right, and suddenly that flicker of hope was back brighter than ever.

Not only will that race be one of my favourite victories, but it'll definitely be one of my favourite podiums as whilst I stood tall on the middle step, I had Pierre to my left. At that moment I didn't just feel like I had made it as I fully realised that we both had made it together.

And if a picture of that isn't on maman Gasly's mantelpiece, then I don't know if I can go over for family dinner ever again.

But despite having such a good race, here I was chasing Max out at the end of the meeting, because the arsehole has been actively ignoring me since the end of the race, including ignoring my existence in the meeting which only made it awkward as hell.

"Hey Maxie Poo!" I call out through the garage corridor, watching him pick up his pace. "Oh come on, your not saying hi to your favourite teammate." A few of the staff snicker at my comments as we rush past them, clearly enjoying the cat and mouse scene going on in front of them.

As much as I'm trying to make a joke out of this I'm really just trying to check in with him. The crash looked nasty and it came out of nowhere, anybody would be concerned about that, or at least that's what I'm telling myself, but the boy won't even give me a fraction of his attention to find out.

He manages to reach his driver room, slipping in just as I'm about to reach him.

Slam!

This bitch just slammed the door straight in my face, so hard when he knew that I was so close, that it actually hit me and knocked me to the ground.

A couple of people nearby rush to my side to help me up, pulling me up by my arms and checking my head. "I'm fine, I'm fine." I swat them away. "But he won't be once I'm done with him."