Same but Different | Carlos Sainz

chapter one

Sofia van Camp

Hell half a trip around the world, like literally as the first race of the season, which would take place this weekend was in Australia. Normally there would be races in Bahrain and Jeddah, but due to Ramadan Melbourne was first on the calendar.

Nervously I fumbled on my paddock pass as I was walking over to one of the back entrances. As members of the teams we were allowed to walk in front, at the famous Melbourne walk, with all the fans, but I decided not to.

Overall it was my first race and I was nervous enough, even though I knew the team and my new tasks by heart as I was going to be the press officer of my childhood best friend and now four time world champion Max Verstappen.

It had been yesterday evening as the Dutch had came by my hotel room, asking if I was ready for tomorrow. We then had chatted for about three hours before we really needed to go to bed. But because we had started a movie and were all cuddle up in my bed, Max stayed the night.

This was nothing unusual as I wasn't sleeping very well away from home, yeah perfect job then, but I loved F1 and after everything that happened it would be great to be around him more often as we usually had seen each other maybe twice a year.

Max was like a bigger brother for me, even though he was two years younger than me, two years minus one day to be exact as my birthday was on the first of October. When we had been smaller we always had celebrated together, which was pretty hard nowadays as he was always somewhere else.

"Sofi!" I heard an all to familiar voice behind me as I entered the hospitality.

"Maxi!" I nudged him back and turned around, welcoming the Dutch with a short hug.

"Ready for your first day of work?" he asked and grinned at me.

"It's not my first day, I've worked back at the headquarters already." I returned and rolled my eyes, still laughing.

"I know, I know, but your first day here at the track." Max corrected himself, "Are you excited, ready to smash it."

"Oh no, I'm not like you straight into the wall with full speed." I said and we laughed, as some engineer called him over.

"Hey, I haven't crashed since Italy 2021." he said while he was already walking over.

"Yeah, I remember." I laughed, more to myself as he was already gone.

This little conversation had brought me a bit out of my concept and plan and so I decided to go over to my office, which was right next to Max's drivers room. There I finally came down and tried to sort everything, still nervous about my first day and that I would forget something.

Luckily it was the first race of the season so no extra media things were on the plan besides the usual Thursday media panel and press conference, but Max only had the first one today. The interviews would take after the press conference so I had some more time before having to go out there again.

Suddenly there was a knock on my door and Melinda put her head into my office. She was Christian's PR woman and also working with some engineers or something, I've never really understood what her job was.

"What can I do for you?" I asked pretty friendly, at least I tried, as i really couldn't stand her.

She was tall with blond hair and always had to be the center of attention, gathered in the middle of all the mechanics and engineers, probably some would say a pick-me girl. Completely the opposite of Helen, the other driver's press officer.

"Helen's flight got cancelled so she can't make it today, you need to handle her tasks." Melinda said in her way too high voice and I nearly rolled my eyes.

"Why me?" I asked annoyed, before I quickly added, "It's my first day."

True, it was my first day, but it wasn't that I could do her tasks, I simply didn't want cause I really didn't like our other driver, Carlos Sainz. Unfortunately I had signed the contract before it had been official that he would join the team, cause otherwise I would had really thought twice.

"Cause Christian said it."

Now I really couldn't hold back my rolling eyes, she was always speaking so highly of him like he was her god or father or both and hell, I really didn't wanna know what she had already been doing with him, but to be honest I didn't care.

"Fine, I'll do it." I returned and sighed as I only did it because it was my first day.

If I would have said no or discussed any longer I was pretty sure she would have called her Christian, telling him that I didn't wanna work. I wasn't like I was only here because of Max, really not, I studied and had my degrees but he still put in a nice word so I really didn't want my boss to hate me.

"Thank you Sofie." Melinda whistled before she closed the door again.

"Sofia, my name is Sophia." I grumbled but of course she was long gone by now.

This day was really annoying me already and it hadn't even started completely. But working in formula one was amazing and I didn't wanna miss that so I sighed before I got up. The press conference would start soon and I needed to inform Sainz about his luck, he would surely be happy, just kidding.

My first idea was to look in his drivers room and as I heard quiet laughter I assumed that he would be in there. If someone else would be with him in there he surely wasn't naked or anything, god, I really didn't want to see that, so I simply opened the door after just one knock.

For a millisecond I was surprised by the view in front of me but than I didn't really care. Maybe being friends with Max for so long had given me some more I-don't-care mentality that a usual person had.

"What the fuck?!" the Spaniard snapped at me, especially as I kept standing in the door, not making a move to leave again.

Quickly he grabbed a shirt while Rebeccas face only got red like a tomato. After some moments of silence Carlos whispered something in her ear, before he gave her a kiss on the cheek. She then grabbed her things and wanted to leave.

"Next time you fuck please choose the paddock, this here is private." I mocked her as she squeezed pass me, telling her the exact words that Carlos had tole me a year ago.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" the Spaniard repeated his words as he closed his jeans that were still on his legs, but widely open.

"You have to work, and not fuck around." I snapped back, scanning his body with a disgusting look.

"Yeah later, and as far I as I know, you have Max so please annoy him and don't fucking open my drivers room without my permission." he returned, his voice getting louder and more aggressive with each word.

"Right, but your press officer is sitting in Singapore waiting for another plane so guess what, you have to deal with me." I returned, also pretty angry by now, "And for your information, you have press conference in fifteen minutes."

"I thought Max would have it today." Carlos returned quickly, seeming suddenly confused.

"No, you have." I snapped at him, having to hide a little devilish grin as he had forgotten something first, not me, "So I'll better meet you down in five, and make sure to look presentable and not like you've being fucked before."

With that I turned around and as I could hear him starting an answer, I smashed the door close, jumping down the stairs, stepping out into the paddock and taking a deep breath. Hopefully Helen would be here soon, cause I definitely couldn't stand him for long.

Even without being his direct press officer there would be thing we had to do together and alone the thought about it, pushed the frustration up inside me. Hell, this season would be interesting.