Without a doubt, Silverstone was Y/N's highlight of the year. Living only half an hour in Milton Keynes provided Y/N with the opportunity to be a marshal at the race each year – which she had been since she's turned 18, and 3 years later, she still was. It was also perfectly situated within the calendar in July as therefore, it didn't interfere with Y/N's education as it finished for summer in May.
Arriving early to the track, Y/N reported to the Marshal debrief which took place inside the FIA debrief room and would allow her to know of her schedule and plan for the day. "We're expecting rain today – track is going to be wet with surface water present so stay behind the barriers at your station. We'd don't want any preventable injuries today." Stuart Pringle, the director of Silverstone, told everyone during the debrief that morning before the drivers would arrive. "Questions?" He left the question hanging, allowing anyone with a query to speak up, "Right. If there's no questions, then you'll find your station on the board. Report to your station 15 minutes before lights out." And with that, Stuart left the room, allowing the marshals to filter out at their own pace. Y/N was one of the first to leave after checking her station for the day; Turn 11. Bang in the middle of Maggots and Becketts which would make for a very exciting race for Y/N as not only was it her first time watching the race from this turn but with the current weather forecast, it would be a dream watching the cars drive through the turn at the speeds they do.
"It's lights out and away we go!" David Croft commentated as the race began. Y/N kept her eye out for the cars appearing at turn 11 and her eyes went wide as they did. Usually, Y/N watched the cars along the DRS straight, but Maggots and Becketts allowed her to watch how the cars could tackle the turns.
The cars switched tyres multiple times throughout the first half of the race until Red Bull made the decision to put slicks on Max Verstappen's car and after that, multiple other cars drove into the pits to change tyres – many changing only to inters as the track was still drying but Charles Leclerc decided the chance the slicks like Verstappen had. Only he didn't have the same luck. Leclerc rounded Copse and sped up as he approached Maggots, straight throw a puddle of surface water and into the barriers near Y/N.
Y/N felt her throat go dry. This was the first crash that she, as a marshal, would respond to. She stood staring at the red Ferrari that had currently lost its front left tyre and front wing as well as bits of debris that had spread out across the track as it spun into the wall. All it took was a nudge in her direction for Y/N to spring into action, climb over the barrier and rush to aid the Monegasque driver.
"Charles Leclerc!" She called out as she leaned over the halo to check if he was alright. Thankfully, he was as she could hear him talking to his engineer. "Oui, yes!" He responded after a few seconds of communicating with his team. He stood up within the seat and Y/N held onto his shoulders, simply to keep him stable in case he had a concussion from the accident. He wobbled slightly on his feet causing Y/N to grip tightly onto his wrists as she aided him to climbing out of his seat.
Y/N guided him to the track exit that was situated at Maggots and Becketts to the medical car that was waiting for him, having been deployed when the crash happened. "Here, sit." Y/N gently pushed Charles into the back seat of the medical car, but when she went to return to her station, he held onto her wrist. "Come." He said with a nod to the seat beside him. Y/N shook her head in disagreement and gently tried to pull her wrist from her, but to no avail Charles kept his grip firm. "Just go with him," one of the doctor's on scene said to Y/N, "once we get him to the medical centre, you can slip away and return to your station." Y/N nodded reluctantly and seated herself beside Charles. She felt him relax beside her and lean his head back against the headrest, but Y/N, herself, couldn't get herself to relax and was sat rigid beside him, leaning against the door, in an attempt to distance herself from the driver.
