All the Way - an F1 story

28

Please be advised there is description of a crash in this chapter.

28 August , 2021
📍Stavelot, Belgium

From the moment Calina woke up, a sense of dread filled her. It was almost too quiet in the motorhome, the only sounds audible being the soft tapping of rain against the roof and windows, and the hushed dialogue of Fiorenzo and Céleste's conversation.

"You can't go like this," Bastien sighed, sitting down his moka pot after pouring himself some fresh coffee. She was out on the makeshift porch while Bastien was on FaceTime, Calina aimlessly staring at the campsite , where the motorhomes of some of the other drivers were also parked.

"You think I don't remember Montreal? You cannot be giving me these lectures." Calina replied, smiling softly to herself as the memory came up of that race in 2011. She could clearly remember sitting at the back of the Lotus Renault garage, watching Bastien look nervously at the endless downpour of rain that fell on the track.

Even he found it a bit amusing. "I mean, don't be nervous. You will be fine."

She couldn't believe that. There was something in her—some sticking feeling—that wouldn't go away. This wasn't a first, and quite frankly, Calina didn't want to think of the other times she had felt like this on past race weekends.

Her press officer was her saving grace from the conversation. Calina had a certain chime set for whenever someone from the team texted her, and when she glanced at the screen, she could see various messages from Marilena.

"I need to go early. We'll talk later, B."

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A hand came to rest on her shoulder.

"Alright there?" Henry.

They had limited time before the third qualifying session, and Calina needed to get out of the car. The rain hadn't ceased, and qualifying was too risky with these conditions. They easily could've postponed it, or delayed it a little longer, but apparently that wasn't up for debate. The show must go on.

Calina shook her head, watching as the crowd in the stands bristled under their umbrellas and plastic ponchos. "This is fucked," she muttered. "We shouldn't be running in this weather."

Henry sighed, but nodded in agreement. "Just—everyone is going to take it easy out there, so please just do the same, but a little faster."

Pulling her helmet back on, Calina was quickly strapped back in, and sent out onto the track. She wanted to get as much space as she could before her fast lap, and before the other drivers would be going out. In conditions like this, she didn't want to be caught in any traffic.

(P) Your pace was very good this morning. Keep it up, but take it easy, okay? Stay safe.

(C) I'll do my best.

Calina went for her fast lap, well, if you could call it a fast lap at the speed she was going. The conditions were not ideal. The overcast sky made it darker than normal for mid-afternoon, and the spray of water coming up from the tyres made visibility seriously low. Pools of water littered the track, not enough water to be on wets but too much for the inters.

(P) Okay, good job. You are P2.

(C ) Shit! Melì, I'm trying. There's no grip at all.

(P) I know. You're doing good, okay. Come in.

P2. They could be going for poles now. While Calina had spent a decent amount of time helping some of the engineers develop next year's engine, the rest had worked on upgrades for this year's car. Even in this weather, she could feel a big difference. The steering and breaking felt smoother, and the engine systems felt more powerful. Whatever they had come up with clearly had worked.