That's Racing Baby | Lando Norris

Chapter 17: Race Five

"Race looks good today. Pretty hard to overtake on this track so your job may be slightly easier. Wind may pick up a lot later in the race but we'll let you know." John said as Emilia drove her car onto the grid. His voice was calming her as he informed his driver of the possible strategies – in code of course.

Soon enough, Emilia was driving the formation lap and preparing herself for the race. She put all podium thoughts aside though it was difficult to do and told herself to take it one lap at a time. If it came to it, she would fight for a podium however, last race's encounter would possibly hinder her ability to dive into turn one late on the breaks. Emilia wondered why Australia didn't teach her that and she had to learn twice that the race isn't won on the first corner.

Slowly, she parked her car in her box. Max was ahead of her having taken pole and had tilted his car slightly towards the centre; that was something Emilia hadn't even considered. It made her wonder whether she was unprepared and actually ready to be up towards the top of this midfield battle. Emilia pushed the nervous thoughts aside and told herself that she qualified in third so that's where she deserved to be.

The cars had all parked in their spots to the lights began the sequence. Emilia had her foot hovered over the throttle and shifted herself in her seat although she wasn't able to move much because there were a million seatbelts restraining her movement.

Five lights were on and then off again with the race underway. Max had a flying start and was well in front of Hamilton who had a not so great start leaving him to challenge the Williams going into the first corner. Emilia briefly checked her mirrors seeing where the Mercedes was before turning the corner as she didn't want to get spun out by it.

The Williams came out the first corner alongside the Mercedes but Emilia had the preferred line coming out of the second corner of the chicane. She edged in front and slammed the throttle to get clear of the seven time World Champion. Somehow, she managed to pull the move off but she knew she would have some serious defending to do if she was to keep second place. DRS wouldn't be enabled for another two laps so she had some time to pull away.

"Great overtake, keep it up." John praised. Unfortunately, Emilia could not keep it up. She'd manage to extend a gap to fourth place but she couldn't keep Lewis behind her. He simply overtook her on the straight on the eighth lap giving her little chance to defend. It annoyed Emilia slightly but at least she didn't have the other Mercedes breathing down her neck. Her tyre wear was fine as well so there was little to think about now and just drive.

Many cars pitted before Emilia and she was left out. Max's tyres seemed to be even better because he was still out and still ahead of her though Lewis had pitted. The strategy was to pit for mediums then going onto softs for the final stint of the race.

Eventually Emilia was called into the pits before Max so she never led the race but she was pretty close. Her pit box was right at the end and she parked with the tyres successfully coming off apart from one. The man at the front lifting the car up had moved out the way yet she still had one of the old tyres on. He hoisted the car up again and the tyre was changed. A frustrated Emilia was released back onto the track.

"Where am I?"

"P6. Sorry about the delay during the pit stop. Ocon ahead 1.4 seconds." John apologised. She was now out of the podium positions and wouldn't have been provided it was a clean pit stop. There was still over half the race to go so she could get back up there though it would require some great overtakes. They still had a long part of the race to go so she could still get it back. Her determination after Imola was stronger than ever with her crave for this podium being enormous.

Emilia was almost overtaken by the car behind her as her tyres had not fired up yet. Even though they had been in the blankets as long as possible, they were still cold by the time she had rejoined the track. Emilia struggled to pump heat into the tyres so she could get up to speed with the Ferrari pushing behind her but she managed to get up to speed before the red fury could overtake her.