Lions Inside: The Formula One Rookie

Chapter 3: Australia

(Sunflower Seeds- Bryce Vine) PLAYING OVER THIS CHAPTER
(Dance, Baby!- boy pablo) PLAYING OVER THIS CHAPTER
(Kiss You- One Direction) PLAYING OVER THIS CHAPTER
(Headspace- Lewis Capaldi) PLAYING OVER THIS CHAPTER

Today was the first race of the new season. It was the Australian Grand Prix, and it was needless to say that I was nervous. My beautiful car, which I had named Apollo, and I were being wheeled to our place on the grid.

STARTING GRID: ROLEX AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX

P1- Lewis Hamilton
P2- Sebastian Vettel
P3- Max Verstappen
P4- Charles Leclerc
P5- Leo Gerard
P6- Romain Grojean
P7- Kevin Magnussen
P8- Lando Norris
P9- Kimi Raikkonen
P10- Sergio Perez
P11- Nico Hulkenberg
P12- Daniel Ricciardo
P13- Alex Albon
P14- Antonio Giovinazzi
P15- Daniil Kvyat
P16- Lance Stroll
P17- Pierre Gasly
P18- Carlos Sainz
P19- George Russell
P20- Robert Kubica

I had been beyond elated that I had made P5, but I guess with Apollo, I could do anything. My mechanics were giving me one last talk as I sipped on my water. Then they started to gossip to each other about another car team, so I slipped out of the conversation and looked around me. I could make out the orange frame of Lando's McLaren down at P8, and I smiled at him under my helmet. I turned back to the front and shivered at the thought of finally racing with the big names in front of me. I looked from the cherry red Ferrari in front of me to the sleek Red Bull next in line, all the way up to Apollo's twin. I eased down into my seat, getting in the zone. Before bopping along to the music blaring around the grand stands. I saw Leclerc look over at me and then look back to the front, making me turn as red as his car. Then I bid a goodbye to my team as I revved my engine to start the formation lap. I was still shocked by the power behind this Mercedes, and how easily it could top out on speed. I was keeping Apollo's tires primed as I swerved around behind Leclerc, furrowing my brows at how pushy Grojean was behind me already. 

We settled back into our grid positions, and I patted my wheel whispering, "Let's go Apollo." The red started blinking on and I snapped my foot to the petal and it was lights out. 

I had a great start, and flew past Leclerc and Verstappen, who had both had lackluster starts. I was on Vettel's tail around the first hairpin, and I punched it coming out, seeing as he had left an unceremoniously large overtaking zone. So I took it. My heart was beating out of my chest as I saw that I was already right behind my teammate, leaving me in P2. I was beaming under my helmet, thinking of all the people who told me I would never make it here just because of my gender. In that instant, I felt as though I finally belonged as I soared behind Lewis. 

My radio crackled to life in my ear, "Wow, uh- that was an unexpected start! Let's go kill this race kid! I can't wait to see how the rest of this season is going to look after that brilliant start!" I smiled shyly, knowing they couldn't see. "You have been given permission to pass Lewis if the opportunity arises! Just take it easy for now until the moment comes, and defend from behind. Put some distance on Vettel!" I confirmed, and then followed Lewis into turn four. 

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I was still P2, 15 laps into the 58 lap race. Vettel had been passed by both Verstappen and Leclerc behind me. But I had done as my pit manager had asked, and put a four-second distance between Verstappen's Red Bull and my dear Apollo. I was more focused on catching Lewis at this point to be honest. I had DRS at the next straight away, and I intended to use it. I hadn't been giving him much pressure, seeing as he was my teammate and I didn't want to get into his dirty air. So this was the lap that I was going to change that. I would need to pit soon, but I chose to ignore that for now (my tires were just peachy), just focusing on the back of the Mercedes that was coming closer and closer to Apollo and I.