In the Spotlight (Max Verstappen - Book Two)

Chapter Seventeen

"Congratulations Elodie! Well done, amazing drive, that was some great racing!" Dani calls down the radio as I wait for the position confirmation before I respond. "P2! Smashing job!"

"Whooooo, yes! Let's go! That's how we do it! Thank you so much, everyone, this is for the team! That felt so damn good!" I shout back excitedly as I wave at the fans on my cool-down lap around the track, looking to my right and seeing Max's car right alongside me, pleased that we're bringing back yet another double podium to the team. I wiggle my fingers in his direction, giggling to myself when I see his hands return the signal before looking ahead at the track once more, the grin wide on my face under my helmet. Once parking the car behind the number two sign for the third time in the last two weekends I find myself having a moment of frustration, Max at first having beaten me fairly but only by less than a second to what I imagine was the joy of the crowd as it was yet another last lap thriller between myself and Max but he managed to perform a really impressive undercut and make it work well for him which I respected a lot because his tires must have been absolutely gone.

The first thing I did after getting out of the car, celebrating with my team and congratulating Max was go over to his car to inspect the wheels and see that I was right. Max comes up behind me and puts an arm around my shoulders and leans his head towards mine, smiling against me lightly. "Must have been like driving on ice," I say as I continue to look at his car, not daring to look at his post-race self.

"It wasn't easy, you were unlucky with the safety car. Without it, I wouldn't have been able to keep you behind I don't think, you would have gotten me with one or two more laps before it came out." He says and I can hear the nervousness in his voice, clearly telling the truth and I just shrug as I smile at our cars in first and second.

"That first just feels slightly out of reach. But one step closer." I say motioning to my car behind the number two sign, a first for me on the podium after two third places, as I pull away from his embrace and see his hair sticking wildly all over the place in a fashion that makes me want to reach out and fix it but I restrain myself. I wobble slightly, the tiredness hitting once more and Max's hands immediately reach out to me, grabbing my waist in an attempt to steady me, concern written over his face.

"Are you okay?" He asks, eyes baring down into my soul and I nod, waving his worry away.

"Absolutely, just tired. But we're all good!" I say reassuringly and he seems to buy it as his hands let go, leaving me cold where he had been touching me before. I look around and smile when I see Charles approaching his Ferrari team hearing the cheering of the Italian team.

We walk over for the post-race interviews and each giving the regular responses, although Max is gracious enough to compliment me and I'm good enough to applaud his strategy. Then it's us and Charles in the cool-down room, Max completely enamoured by the screen in front of him replaying moments for the race while I turn to Charles.

"That was a good race for you no? Fifth to third?" I ask Leclerc in French smiling at him and he nods at me.

"Yeah, you did good though, a real pain in my ass as I tried to get past you but then my tires just fell off the cliff," Charles responds, referring to the double pitstop strategy that ultimately had him place just behind me and Max given the race pace the Ferrari's had this weekend. I knew Lewis would be annoyed that starting first didn't secure him another victory and further falling off the podium would be bruising his ego. I notice Christian enter the room at that point, coming up and giving me a quick hug before going over to Max and whooping over the first place finish, I try not to let it bother me that Max started from two places behind me and still managed to finish in front, trying to ignore that the whole of the Orange Army would be pointing out the same. Still, it hurt and Christian's reaction solidified it as I took my eyes off the two men celebrating the first win of the season for the team and back to Charles.