On Top of the World [Max Verstappen - Book 3]

25

Shorter...but hopefully you enjoy it!

*****

July, 2029

Mercedes opted not to change the brake lines, too worried about the penalties as it was more likely to be ten places which I pointed out would be ridiculous but Toto shrugged, seemingly equally annoyed with the FIA's response to the team's enquiry. Instead, Lando and I were forced to drive our cars to a very difficult third and fifth place, an absolute drive on Lando's end and as hard as I tried I couldn't keep Pierre behind me, a very similar incident occurring with him as had happened the previous day with Charles to my annoyance - something I couldn't hide both in the cockpit via team radio and out of it in interviews.

The next few races had been somewhat frustrating as I came close time and again to winning but each time getting it taken out from under me by either Leclerc, Gasly or Lando. All three of whom had tidied up their driving slightly, both Charles and Pierre visiting me together following Imola before we headed to Portugal and apologising, having had a chance to see some of the clips circulating online which had overall led to better racing as I felt more comfortable racing on the track with them again - not as worried as before that they might try to go into me but I was still very aware of all of their desperation to beat me. Which annoyingly seemed to be pushing them over the line faster than me. But we were about to head into a triple header of races and we were really moving into my element.

Monaco, Silverstone and Red Bull Ring.

We had just been in Zandvoort where I had been surprised to hear the orange army chanting my name and song as I walked around the track. Ever since I had begun doing my interviews in other languages - including Dutch with Ziggo, the country had planted their support firmly behind m which was increased even more when Max retweeted a fan video from the Thursday where I was speaking with him, his mum and his sister in Dutch for a few minutes, just catching up. They said that my respect for their country and language was admirable and I thought it was funny because I hadn't worked particularly hard to get to that point.

Speaking of Max, we were good...really good. Despite racing not going that well for me as I sat between 40-70 points behind the other three drivers, I was still going well with Max, both of us having our own solo therapy sessions and going occasionally together as well. The bets each race weekend proved to just be an excuse for us to spend time together - usually making the other person put on something embarrassing before getting food and watching a movie. Sometimes we would do work if we needed to, or if it was happening after a race weekend then the other person was ordered to buy all drinks on whoever's plane we were on or whatever club that we were in. The night after Zandvoort had left Max with a bill of over £7000 as I bought round after round for everyone in the club, each time charging it to his card. That got me in some trouble but not much. Everyone close to me and Max now knew that we were back together and while we still hadn't spoken about relationship status we were very much practically a full couple...in every sense to my relief when we broke Trijta's rules after a few weekends of sleeping next to each other.

Now that he wasn't racing we had also begun sleeping together every night of a race weekend, even on the night before the race as he was happy to just listen to what I needed before a race without having to factor in his own needs. We had even agreed to stop both booking hotel suites, saying we would deal with the news if it ever came out. That brings us to now as we were walking through Monaco on the Monday before the race, doing some shopping before it became impossible for us to move around the streets without swarms of people circling.

"You decided on what you're doing about permanent retirement homes?" I ask him, referring to his contemplations over moving back to the Netherlands to be closer to his mum and sister as I stop and look in the window of the store.