In Love With Formula 1

Part 54

There had been a few more races in the season and we were now in Austria, this was one of my favourite circuits mainly because of the scenery around it.

I was there for a karting racing on Thursday and I had been informed I was driving for a practice session in F3.

It was now Thursday and I was ready for my race, the opening race of the season was always a bit weird, everyone was always looking for the new people and showing off their new looks for race suits and karts. 

Before walking out of the garage I did my usual routine which was to put on my music and listen to the playlist that made me feel like the villain in a movie. I then did a few deep breaths before walking out with my helmet in hand and my sunglasses on.

I sat down in my seat and made sure everything was how I wanted it before taking my sunglasses and headphones off and swapping them for my helmet, I was starting at the back of the grid and I looked at the different helmets in front of me and I decided that the driver with turquoise and yellow on their helmet was my target, I wasn't sure what position that was but I knew I had to at least get to that person.

I had a flying start, I was a few positions up going in to the first corner, I drifted out of the corner and made my kart a lot wider that it actually was, blocking a few people from overtaking me. I then got my head down and got past another few people before seeing that turquoise and yellow helmet 3 places in front of me. 

I went brave on the brakes and overtook the person with they yellow and turquoise helmet, I had no idea what position I was and I didn't know when the chequered flag was going to be shown, I just kept pushing until I saw the flag.

I overtook a few more people and was almost pushing my kart with my body weight to go faster, I didn't want to risk being overtaken on the last corner like I had done many times.

The chequered flag fell and I won the race, I didn't know this of course till I got out of my kart and everyone was running over and congratulating me. I was ecstatic that I had won the first race of the season and celebrated with the 2 other drivers on the podium.

"Well done Izzie, you really pushed it"

"I do try"

"Well, there are a few people who want to talk to you" Lando said

"Oh, I thought we could talk for a bit, we barely see each other"

"Later" 

"Okay"

I walked over to a French journalist and she spoke the interview in French, it was a real test, I hadn't spoken much French in a while.

A lot of the interview was on my performance and my F3 appearances and how I was basically the best person ever, she even mentioned how much of a fangirl she was.

I went over to my garage to analyse some of the data and I spent quite a while there, it was now dark and I was one of the only people there, I was still making notes on what I need to improve or change.

"You work harder than anyone I know" Daniel said walking into the garage

"Why are you here?" I said taking the pen from behind my ear and writing something down

"You won a race, and you are being all nerdy writing shit down, we need to celebrate"

"I'm okay, I have that practice session tomorrow"

"Oh yeh, that will be interesting"

"I hope so" 

I closed my notebook and shut the computer down before picking my bag up and leaving the garage to walk with Daniel to our cars

"Lando properly likes you Izzie" Daniel said on our way to the car park

"Hmm, bet he does, I mean who wouldn't"

"It's a shame you two are both so obsessed with racing, you barely see each other now"

"Yeh but when we do spend time together it is top quality"

"Very true, you both have the mental age of a toddler"

"But i'm smarter obviously" I said as I unlocked my hire car and opened the door

"Whatever" Daniel shouted with a lot of sarcasm

I drove back to my hotel and went straight to bed, tomorrow would be a new day and a new challenge, I needed to impress people, show that it wasn't just beginners luck.

"A jam packed weekend, for Izzie Bewdley, a karting win yesterday and a practice session for F3 today as well as being a big part of the Mclaren family, lets see what she can do in the car as she is pulling out of the garage now" The commentators said as I was driving down the pitlane

"This whole radio shit is weird you know" I said on the radio to the engineer

"You get used to it"

"I will tell you to shut the fuck up though if you talk to much"

"Understood"

I pulled on to the track and got to grips with the car very quickly again, I did a few warm up laps and then went for a quick lap.

"Any traffic?" I said over the radio

"No, all good, floor it" the engineer said back to me

I turned on to the main straight and put my foot to the floor and changing through the gears smoothly up to the first corner where I downshifted and felt the G forces through my body as I turned right. The rest of the lap was stellar, I didn't put a foot wrong and was topping the timing sheets once again, the rest of the session was about getting data for different tyre sets, it was also pitstop practice for the team.

I finished the session top of the timing sheets and I made my way back in to the pits to have a debrief.

"You get absolutely every inch of power out of that car" My engineer said

"Well if it's there it should be used"

"You're tyre management as well, amazing"

"I wasn't even managing them, I was pushing even on my cool down laps"

"Well you are very talented then"

"I know"

I spent the rest of the debrief listening to the other drivers give their feedback and learn some more about how they drive the cars. 

I had a training session that evening in the hotel gym, I was working more than ever on both my physical and mental fitness, I was seeing different psychologists and I was training my arse off to be the fittest I could be, I needed to make sure I didn't take it too far or slip mentally again. A year ago I was working in Monaco, I had lived there for a few months, it also made me realise how much I missed Monaco, I wanted to go back there, I had a few months before my next karting race. I would also invite Lando to come if it was okay with him, I just missed having my bright coloured rooms and my balcony.