We're finally somewhere quiet, with no cameras, no people watching, just the two of us sitting around, not feeling like we need to pretend for once.
I'm not sure what made me do it, but I ask her what it's actually like—her career, the real version, not the stuff we see on magazine covers.
She's quiet for a moment, and then she sighs.
"It's lonely," she says, almost like she didn't mean to say it out loud.
"Everyone thinks it's this dream, like being a singer is all glamour and fun. But it's... a lot of long days, a lot of pretending everything's perfect when it isn't."
I get it.
I'm used to seeing her as this image, this perfectly put-together star, but right now she just looks... real.
"Yeah," I say, nodding.
"People think my life's just about racing, like I'm just winning or losing. They don't get the pressure, or what it's like off the track. Especially..."
I trail off, not usually one to open up.
"Especially with my dad. He was always pushing me. It's just this... pressure, you know?"
She looks at me, and there's a gentleness in her expression I've never seen before.
"I didn't realize you went through all that," she says, her voice softer than usual.
And in that second, something shifts.
I always thought of her as just a job, just someone I had to stand next to for the press.
But hearing her talk about this stuff... I don't know.
It feels like I'm talking to a person, not just a brand.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
𝙲𝚊𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚊-
He's actually listening.
Like, really listening, and it catches me off guard.
I wasn't expecting this to feel like a real conversation.
I thought we'd just keep up the charade—talk about whatever we're supposed to talk about, and leave it at that.
But here we are, sitting in this quiet little spot, and Max's words actually resonate.
He's not the perfect, unflappable guy I've seen on TV.
He's not just a race car driver.
He's a person.
I don't know why, but I feel this strange pull to say more.
Maybe because, for once, I can just be myself, and it feels like he might actually get it.
"You know, I've always had to be 'on.' Like, I can't have a bad day or people will notice. People think I have this glamorous life, but sometimes, it feels like I'm just chasing after something that's always out of reach."
I look down at my hands, trying to put the words together.
"I mean, yeah, I'm lucky. I'm doing what I love. But... sometimes I just want to take a break from it all. From the flashing lights, from the expectations. It's like, the whole world has this picture of me, and I'm just supposed to fit into it."
He nods, his eyes watching me with this quiet understanding that's kind of unexpected.
I didn't think he'd get it, but he does.
I can see it in the way he looks at me now—like he's actually seeing the person underneath all the public image.
"I think it's the same for me," I hear him say.
"Everyone thinks my whole life is just about racing, that it's just about winning. But it's more than that. The pressure... It's not just about the fans or the media. It's like, you have to be perfect. And sometimes, it's hard to live up to that."
I feel this shift between us, a kind of quiet understanding, like for once we're not just playing the game.
We're both here, in this weird little bubble, talking about real things.
It's the first time I don't feel like we're just two people doing this whole PR thing.
There's a part of me that actually wants to know more.
And maybe, just maybe, Max isn't as bad as I thought.
Or maybe I'm just starting to see him differently.
Either way, for the first time, I don't feel like I'm just pretending.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
@Formulaonewags
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
liked by TracksideQueen, PitStopGlam, F1RacerChic and 600k others
@Formulaonewags Max & Catalina were caught having a very private chat—just a casual conversation, or is there more going on behind the scenes? 👀💬
view comments...
Kaylaloveslando They look so good together
Meganleclerc I wonder what they were talking about
Catalinasnark Maybe he should focus more on driving
