Little Senna

•CHAPTER THREE•

~CHARLES LECLERC~

Yesterday's interviews were something terrible. I've had enough of those people, everyone thinks we like to do it as riders but honestly, we hate the thing. I got two normal questions yesterday, the rest of the questions were directed at Danielle and my relationship with her. I honestly didn't enjoy giving the same answer to hundreds of people, and I don't think Danielle enjoyed hearing those types of questions either.

But that was yesterday, today I think we have a much better day ahead of us because it is the first practice of our 2023 season. It was around 7 in the morning and I woke up a few minutes ago. I had plenty of time for breakfast and training, so I was still lying in bed. I wanted to pick up Danielle again for breakfast, but she wrote me that she wouldn't have breakfast and that she would meet me in the paddock. It felt like something happened yesterday and that's why even then she stayed in the pit longer than she had to.

I started getting ready for breakfast and within 30 minutes I was sitting at the table with Lance and finally Lewis joined us. We ate in silence for a while, but then Lewis spoke up, catching both of our attentions.

"What Danielle said yesterday, was it true?" His eyes said it all, that he wished it was true

"Yes, everything Danielle said is true" I smiled at him, Lewis's smile was enough for one to understand that this was exactly what Lewis needed to hear

"Since I've been on the same team with her and usually when we get to talking about Formula 1, I don't know a moment when she doesn't mention you, I know she talked about Danny as well, but you were always the one she talked about with the most pride in voice. You are her anchor" Lew started to smile even more and tears started to slowly appear in his eyes

"Thanks Charles" Lewis thanked me and then got up from the table and left

"What happened?" Asked a slightly confused Lance, who apparently hadn't seen Danielle's interview

"Danielle had an interview yesterday and she said in it that Lewis saved her life and that he was always her biggest motivation and Lewis probably wanted to make sure that what she said was true and I just confirmed it to him that she really was" I smiled and Lance's smile didn't wait for anything and appeared on his face

"That's so cute it makes me want to cry" Lance laughed and I couldn't help but laugh with him

"Yes Danielle deserves to tell him to his face" I smiled and put the last bite in my mouth

"And Lewis deserves to hear it" Lance reacted to it about as I expected

"Of course, hey, I have to run, see you on the track" Lance waved at me and I left the table

I packed my things and went to the paddock.

I only spent a few moments in the pit before I sat down in the Formula and pushed everything else that was happening out of my mind and concentrated only on today's training.

"You can do it Charlie" Danielle came up to me before I even got to the track.  I smiled at her through my helmet and she saw it because my eyes lit up.

"You too Dani, don't worry, you'll do great, I trust you" I grabbed her hand, which was resting on the formula

"Thank you so much" her smile was something that gave me even more motivation

"You're welcome" I told her

"Charles we're ready to go" the manager called from the radio and I put both hands on the steering wheel and looked at Danielle once more, she nodded at me, took her helmet, sent the formula to her and I went out on the track among the first drivers.

Everything went really well for us as a Ferrari team, we had a good pace, great times and a very good position in practice.

~DANIEL RICCIARDO~

And here it is, the first training sessions in 2023. It starts again in Bahrain and I'm motivated as always. Yesterday was a difficult day for me, as well as for about the other 19 riders. It was horrible to hear the same questions over and over again. It seems to me that journalists have a very small supply of questions, because every other one is exactly the same and there are the same answers to all of them. Well, that was yesterday, today is a new day and a different program.

Of course, one thing also happened yesterday that somehow hit me, or I don't know how to say it exactly. I heard Danielle talk about me and Lewis, and right then and there I knew she was going to be one of those people who would make my life 100% better. I was hoping to find my way to her as soon as possible and that we would establish a very good contact. Well, that's enough about yesterday.

At the moment I was packing all my necessary things for the circuit and for the formula. I threw my backpack on my back and left my hotel room. I put the entry card on the terminal and went through the barrier to the paddock and around me, a lot of other people started walking like PR managers, team bosses, riders or just some riders' escort.

"Our smiling Danny again" I heard Toto, the Mercedes team boss

"You know, you can't miss a smile" I laughed at him and started walking away

"Good luck"

"Thanks" I managed to reply before I was completely removed from Toto's presence

I reached the pit, both my mechanics and Max's mechanics started running around me. There was a little chaos there, but I ignored it and went to change into my racing overalls.

I started to get a little nervous, the biggest one will come on the day of the race, I hope that by then I will have some contact with Danielle. Well, there was no time for these thoughts, because time was running out and we could go to FP1.

I sat down in the formula and everything seemed to quiet down around me, Max still managed to catch up behind me.

"Show them who Honey Badger is" I gave him a brotherly handshake and waited for my mechanic to lead me safely out of the pit.

The training seemed quite long, but I was home again and enjoying every second of it.

"Danny?"  I heard the engineer on the radio

"Yeah?"

"Let Danielle through, she's a second faster than us, let her pass on the upcoming straight" I heard those words and smiled, it must be very good when she's already competing with Red Bull in practice

"Copy"

On the next straight I let her pass and she waved to me as a sign of thanks. FP1 was coming to an end and we as drivers were waiting for FP2 and then rest for tomorrow's qualifying.