Battle of The Gods

Trentacinque

The 2024 season is under way, and for the first time in a long time, different drivers and different teams have won the first three races. After Bahrain and Ferrari's perfect way of opening the season, Jeddah was a difficult race for the Scuderia, being won by Max and having both Mercedes drivers on the podium, and Charles and Lewis closing the top 6. However, Australia was a better race for them, with Charles snatching P2, joining George, who won the race, and Carlos who came in third. Alessandra was with the team under the podium, enjoying their second podium of the season, but she kicked herself as she constantly let her eyes wonder on her arch rival, who was standing on top of the constructors step, and his smug smile whenever their eyes locked. She hated watching him from below, hated how ridiculously hot he looked when his white team button up stuck onto his body and became close to transparent when he got sprayed. She vowed to herself that he will the one standing under the podium next, watching her and her drivers up there.

What the two team principals, who are in their own personal war, don't know is that their change of riff between the two has become noticeable to some drivers and even other team principals. They all remember the harmless banter they threw at each other throughout the whole season, and them chatting whenever they bump into each other at the paddock, or how good they got along when they had paired interviews. But now, the coldness between them, the sharpness in their words to each other during joint interviews, or even when they talk about each other, was becoming noticeable, and many didn't dare, or cared, to question it. Unless they were Alessandra's friends.

The Italian team principal and her drivers were flying to Japan straight after the Australian grand prix, and they were joined on their jet by the reserve drivers, Max, Carlos and Daniel, along with Alexandra, Kelly and Heidi. The Japanese grand prix was in two weeks, but the Ferrari clan were all invited to attend the Japanese E Prix by Matteo, so the whole group decided to have a mini vacation and have more time exploring the country before the next race. However, on their flight there, work didn't stop for Alessandra, especially because she wouldn't be at the factory before the next race, so she was sat alone at one end of the jet, airpods over her ears as she answered emails and read through data. The rest of the group was at the other end of the jet, engaged into their own conversation about what they wanted to do with having more time in Japan, but when Daniel took a glance at the team principal, he decided to ask the question that's been brewing in his mind for a while.

"Look, I know it's not my place, but I have to ask," Daniel started, "what the hell is going on between Alessandra and Toto?"

Charles was taken aback by Daniel's question, fearing that he got a hunch about the two team principal's big secret. The Monegasque quietly cleared his throat, trying to keep a calm composure before jumping into any sort of panic or conclusion. Lewis on the other hand, immediately knew what Daniel was on about, obviously having noticed the way his current and former bosses act around each other, not able to shake the pang of guilt when he knew that he's the reason they've become the way they are now around each other.

"What do you mean?" Charles asked.

"Have you not noticed?" The Australian asked, quirking an eyebrow at him in confusion, "we used to be suffocated with the tension they had whenever they were together, and now, it feels like fucking Antartica."

"Yeah, I noticed too," Carlos joined in, "even the way they speak to each other, it's like they're trying to subtly cut each other with their words."

"Do you know anything about it Mick?" Max asked, "like has she mentioned anything about it?"

"Nope, nothing," The German replied, shrugging his shoulders, "I mean, thinking about it, she was always quick to remark about Toto when I bring him up in a conversation to tease her, but recently, she always brushes him off whenever I do mention him. But that's all I know."