The Bull Prince | Max Verstappen

Chapter 17

"What's the plan then?" Jenson wanted to know, as Joanna turned to see how was walking past the facility and could see them. 

"I played my part. The rest is out of my hands." The Austrian said with a surge of her shoulder, which caused Jenson to groan. 

"I don't like this plan of yours." 

"Believe me you will love it." She said sweetly, not telling Jenson anything but reassuring him that everything would work out alright. Still, she wouldn't admit that she was past her rule to not hurt her friends. Daniel tried to hit her where it hurts and she will do the same. The only difference between Joanna and Daniel was that she was a master of this game and Daniel a fool, who believed he could simply come around and push her from her throne. Well, he was terribly wrong. 

The plan was simple. All she had to do was wait. Daniel has practically laid out his own trap. Forcing her to give up her position as GPDA director was a mistake. His goals were simply too ambitious for a beginner, but he would soon realize that. The others will now turn their backs on him, especially the older ones who knew what he might have done. Joanna was now popular with the majority of the drivers, but that wasn't always the case. Her driving style, especially in the beginning, was considered dangerous and overzealous, something that earned her a reputation. She fought and won by using her fingernails and teeth, but most of the drivers didn't like it. She was too aggressive for them and to see such behavior from the Austrian again filled some with fear and horror. Maybe she would take advantage of that in the next races to speed up the whole process. Sooner or later, a situation will arise that Romain, without practice, will not be able to handle as well as Joanna would have done, and then all that is needed is a little push and the game will be won.

"I hope you're doing this for yourself." He said eventually, "other people won't remember your choices thirty years in the future." 

"That's where you're wrong, Jens. I'm Joanna Lauda. They will remember everything."

"Fuck them, it is you who has to live with your choices. Are you happy?" Jenson asked Joanna, who presented him with a sweet look once more before patting his shoulder while walking past him. 

"Happiness doesn't define you. You're name and reputation does." 

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During the qualifying in Austria, the drivers behaved exceptionally well, which brought a smile to Joanna's lips. Hidden behind her helmet, of course, but she was glad that everyone seemed to be following the rules. However, to be precise, this was no longer Joanna's problem, so for the first time in ages, she could concentrate properly on qualifying without being distracted by stuff and someone else's problems. Her head was pleasantly empty, just like in the first years of her career, Joanna felt set free and it showed in her result. Pole position in Spielberg. A track that normally didn't suit Ferrari, but Joanna wasn't Ferrari.

Changed and ready to go, Joanna ran right in Toto, who was on his way to the Mercedes facility with a stack of papers in his arms, which were now littered on the floor in the middle of the paddock.  

"Oh sorry," Joanna muttered, which caused the other Austrian to tell her that it was nothing. She was about to get on the floor to help him gather the papers before she stopped in her movements. 

"Can I help? I mean ... it looks like it's important and I don't want to put my nose in your things." The younger Austrian said a little bit unsure how to behave, which caused Toto to look up at her with a smile. 

"It's alright, Joanna. There's nothing you can ready so fast that it will help Ferrari." He promised, which caused the Austrian to ignore the little jap at her team and drop to her knees and help to stack up the papers again. Toto will defiantly have to go through them again.  Lifting the papers in her arms, she handed them to the Austrian Mercedes principal, who thanked her shortly for helping.