There hadn't been a woman in formula 1 for as long as most drivers could remember and it seemed that there was a lack of women in the virtual sport too. When McLaren Shadow, an F1 e-sports team took a chance on a young female streamer, no one knew t...
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"Are we sure this is a good idea?" Mira mumbled as she stepped out of the car.
"I mean...is anything we do ever a good reason?" Lando questioned with a hum.
Mira shrugged lightly as Lando unbuckled Lily from the car seat awkwardly. He was still getting used to how to do stuff as, like Mira, he'd never looked after a child before. They were managing well between the two of them and it had definitely made them realise how glad they were to be in tune with each other.
Lily was babbling to herself as they made their way towards the paddock with people on the way there going crazy at the sight of Lando Norris holding a toddler. Mira wouldn't blame her, she was pretty sure they had broken Social Media when they told the world just days ago.
"Lando!" People shouted from the crowds.
"Mira, you good?" Lando whispered.
"I'm fine," Mira nodded, feeling as calm as she could.
They'd come prepared with ear defenders for Lily so she couldn't really hear the sound of the crowd that much. She seemed happy enough clinging to Lando with a far of look in her eyes.
"And who is this cutie?" Jon, Lando's personal trainer, questioned.
By this point, Daniel, Andrea and Zak had also joined them and nearly all the engineers were hovering close by. Mira felt a little awkward as she shuffled closer to Lando, slipping her noise-cancelling headphones off one ear slightly while the mechanical noise had stopped temporarily.
"This is Lily," Lando introduced.
"She's in a people good mood," Mira added kindly. "Lily, do you want to wave?
Lily gave a small wave as she flapped her other hand around in the air, twirling it after a few moments.
"Hiya, Lily," Daniel beamed,"I like your headphones, I think that colour would suit me quite well."
This made Lily giggle as she tugged on her hot-pink ear defenders.
Daniel couldn't help but be slightly surprised at Lando being a dad. To Daniel, Lando was still a child himself with how he acted so he just couldn't imagine him raising a kid.
"We got her a present," said Jon happily, holding up the teddy.
It was a light brown teddy bear with a McLaren top and the logo engraved on the foot. Lily reached out to it and Jon kindly handed her the stuffed bear. They'd clearly won her over as she clung to it.
"Oh you didn't have to do that, thank you," Mira beamed.
"It's bribery, Mira!" Daniel joked. "To make sure she likes us."
"I'm sure she does now," Lando said with a laugh.
Mira wasn't quite sure how it happened but one minute she was laughing with the mechanics and next second, Lily had been placed in Lando's car and everyone was doing the classic 'awws' and 'ooo' at it. The McLaren media were also having a field day.
"Oh Mira, she's adorable!" said Marissa, Daniel's girlfriend and assistant.
"She is," Mira agreed. "I just hope I can be a good mum to her."
"I'm sure you will," Marissa insisted. "You are a kind person and you and Lando deserve happiness. I've been trying to persuade Danny to have a kid with me for years."
"He doesn't want to?" Mira questioned, tilting his head.
"He doesn't want to miss their life when he's racing but he doesn't want to give up raising yet," Marissa explained. "I respect that. It's not a 'no' it's just a later."
"Maybe he wants to put a ring on your finger first," Mira winked.
Marissa laughed as the two of them admired Daniel and Lando speaking to Lily in baby voices while she sat in the f1 car with the engineers smiling.
"Maybe," Marissa hummed. "That's what Chloe always says."
"Chloe?" Mira questioned.
"Oh, she's Lance Stroll's sister," Marissa explained. "Daniel's best friend Scotty, who's lovely by the way, is engaged to her. So we spend a lot of time together."
Mira nodded in understanding. They were distracted from their conversation when everyone started to move around to get ready for practice. Lando handed Lily to Mira so they could start to walk towards his driver's room and leave the mechanics in peace.
"That went well," Mira commented lightly.
"Did you expect it not to?" Lando questioned.
"I don't know what I expected," Mira shrugged.
"Landooo," Came the voice of Carlos Sainz. "Mira! Hola!"
"Hola Carlos!" Mira beamed.
Carlos Sainz was won of Lando's best friends after racing with him at McLaren and Mira had been expecting him to find them at some point during the race weekend. Lando had already facetimed him beforehand to let him know about Lily but he'd been able to get to see her in person yet.
"You are so cute, no?" Carlos beamed as he waved at Lily.
Lily just held up her McLaren bear as if it were saying hello to Carlos. He laughed at her small wonder at the world.
"I don't think she likes you," Lando joked.
"She loves me, I am Uncle Carlos," Carlos cooed. "I teach you Spanish, Lily."
"She's two years old Carlos—"
"Never too young, Lando," Carlos 'tutted'. "Can she come to golf with us?"
"Once again, she is two," Mira emphasised. "But maybe she can but I'll be damned to let her go with you two alone."
"Oi!" Carlos and Lando echoed in unison.
"You are both children when you're together," Mira reminded, pointing a finger at Carlos. "Don't think I don't remember!"
"I am offended," Carlos gasped, hand on heart. "Charles, come here! Mira is being mean to me!"
Charles, who had his race suit half done up over his fireproof like most the drivers, stopped in his track with an amused look. He had no idea what was going on.
"I am confused," Charles stated. "Hello, you are cute!"
Carlos seemed defeated as Charles paid more attention to the toddler Lando was holding. Mira gave him a smile that screamed 'I won'.
"All three of you need to go before you're late to practice," Mira demanded. "Go on."
As the three drivers scattered away to prepare for training and Mira was left to walk to McLaren hospitality, she gave a fulfilling sign and smile.
"Those lot are going to be the death of me."
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