annihilation (Charles Leclerc)

two

March 2nd: Australian Grand Prix

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twitter:
Quinncarter: on my way to make some little French boys cry ✨

➡️charlesleclerc: I'm not even french

➡️Quinncarter: sorry what? Poles so far away from P12, can't hear you
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"You've got an opportunity to prove yourself to us today Quinn," Christian reminded me "prove it to the team that you deserve this seat."

Recruiting me to the team had received an unimaginable amount of backlash online, mostly from middle aged bald men who were all frustrated that a woman was racing, and many more because I'm rude to the 'precious little Ferrari Angel' that is Charles Leclerc.

"I'm not coming back with anything less than the top three," I promised him "don't you worry about that." I so desperately wanted to add an 'old man' onto the end, but we aren't close enough for that yet.

Not only did I desperately need to prove myself to him, or my male counterparts on the grid but to Danny who'd stuck his neck on the line for me to drive for red bull, I needed to show him that he made the right choice nominating me to race in his place.

Horner noticed me watching as Charles walked in past, inspecting the car as I stuck up my middle finger to him, "You know, the media can say what they want about your attitude when you're winning," he explained, essentially if I was making him money I could do what I wanted, "If you aren't winning though Quinn, it's gotta change."

"I mean, max seems to get away with it just fine." I laughed, as he came around the corner cussing out one of the engineers who tripped him up.

Christian and Maxs' bromance situation was like none that I had ever witnessed, I knew instantly why Daniel found it so insufferable, thankfully I just don't care enough, "Your attitude is worse than Maxs' though, believe me." Christian replied as max wandered over.

"Hm I don't know about that, she's nice to me." Max commented as he pulled on his helmet, ready to go out into Pole position for the starting line up.

"Yeah yeah, whatever get in the cars and win it today Max, we're starting on mediums for both of you." Christian informed us, walking away to the engineers who were already monitoring everything.

I nodded, climbing into the car, my number was 11, no, it wasn't my first option at all, growing up my number was always 16 from the age of three it was sixteen, all the way up until this year in fact, but it was taken by Charles as soon as he entered formula one.

"Hey Quinn," Max muttered from his car as he was about to get onto the track "Don't pretend you're some meek, pathetic little girl when I can see your vicious mind working behind your eyes alright? You can win this today, don't act how the media want you too and don't do whatever the fuck Christian wants." And like that, he was gone heading to starting position.

He'd known best of all about the amount of hatred I was getting online because he'd experienced similar due to the win he got last year, he won the championship but only just, on the last race he managed to beat Hamilton.

Crazy of him to think I was taking it easy today, absolutely not, I let out a breathe as I pulled to the fifth place on the grid, my first qualifying was decent, Christian wanted me to 'take it easy' so that I could shock everyone on race day and the media wouldn't think I was some greedy rookie.

Thing is, I am a greedy rookie.

Charles was starting in P3, good thing he wouldn't be staying there for long, I knew his plans, he wanted to destroy me on the track and off of the track in any way possible, even if it was just rude comments here and there.

Sometimes people try to destroy you, precisely because they recognise your power - not because they don't see it, but because they see it and they don't want it to exist so honestly I take it as a compliment.

The commentary was one of the highlights of the sport, I loved hearing what they had to say, "And the Australian Grand Prix is off and away! Max verstappen currently leading the race, much to Hamiltons dismay I'm sure!"

I wanted to chuckle, I could hear it from my car after much begging to the engineers to fit a radio into the car that would allow me to listen, "Okay Quinn DRS enabled, the next 7 seconds is on straights, you can outpace him." Horner reminded me as I drove the first corner, chaos occurring behind me.

Logan sergeant and Esteban Ocon had crashed into one another within three seconds of the race, I ignored it and kept on pushing, I was within a second behind Charles and I was ready to get past him if he wouldn't stop blocking me off.

I kept trying to pass by but everytime he would put the car in front of mine, any more movement and I'd crash into the back of him, after eleven seconds of struggle I strode on past him.

"If you're testing my waters you better know how to swim." I told Christian as I laughed down through the radio, easily passing by Alonso in third place and taking over it.

Horner was quick to ground me, "Don't get too cocky Quinn, Hamilton is in-front and he's not going easy on Max today. Put pressure on him, but only overtake if you absolutely have too."

I raised my brows, expressing my utter confusion, "What do you mean if I absolutely have too, he's like two seconds in front I can take that?"

"We know that, but we're aiming on a second world championship for Max and he needs to stay in front, it's more pressure for Mercedes to have one red bull in front and one behind rather than two in front." He rambled on, his English accent making my ears hurt, what he was saying made no sense to me.

Max must've known that Horner would want to keep me behind Mercedes, hence why his words of wisdom were splayed in my mind, the question wasn't who's going to let me but rather who's going to stop me.

I overtook Lewis with ease, turning my radio down to the lowest volume as I didn't want to listen to Christian's bullshit, "I'm coming for you max." I muttered, max was fast, incredibly fast, genuinely one of the best drivers of all time.

However, I had trained with him pretty much everyday, we have raced constantly since I'd joined red bull and I knew his strategies, this winning streak isn't going to last for him, as I got closer to the car in front it was almost like he slowed down for me, letting me pass by.

Christian was going to kill me.

But how could he? Winning a first place for red bull racing, my first race of the year, in my rookie fucking season, "Thank you Max." I mumbled to myself, he'd done it on purpose, I was well aware, I was grateful, but it wouldn't happen again.