Slipping Down || Charles Leclerc

Part 38

"What the hell?!" George turned around fuming, only to see Amelia looking at him even more pissed than I had imagined, her hands are on her hips and she has her head tilted.

"What's wrong? Don't you like being pushed away?"

"I didn't do it on purpose!"

"Ah, no, of course you didn't. You knew I had the turn, you knew I was going to be first driver in this race, and you don't like it. Deal with it, George."

George took a deep breath, she was right. She had the turn, and she was going to be first driver, and she had won the bet fairly last week, but he just didn't agree with it anymore.

"Posso ucciderlo?" She asked, looking at Charles. (Can I kill him?)

"No, non si può." Charles shook his head. (No, you can't)

"Amelia, I am sorry, truly," George said, hoping to gather some more peace. He didn't want to get back on track knowing his teammate was still furious about the incident. "I will give you your space, and I won't intervene anymore."

"Keep your fucking word." And she turned around, leaving the two male drivers behind.

"God, why is she so moody?" George sighed, running his hands through is hair.

"You run her off the track, mate," Charles chuckled. "Obviously, she is pissed if the two of you had some kind of bet. We don't talk much about race related stuff, that's for here and not for out there."

"Or she's just on her period."

"Keep your mouth shut if you want to make it through the day, please. For my sake, as I want to spend the night with her, and for the sake of everyone else here on the track. And also, don't let anyone hear you just made such a stupid comment," Charles shook his head in disbelief. "Not every woman who is mad is instantly moody, and being moody isn't a sign of being on their period."

George shrugged. "Whatever, mate."

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Amelia tightened her grip on the steering wheel as she drive from the pit lane on to the track. Her heart pounded in her chest, she was nervous, but this was also a moment she had been waiting on.

The team had her entire back, but that still meant Amelia had to be at the top of her game if she wanted to secure a high position to start the race from. The narrow streets of Monaco offered little room for error, although George had already managed to cause an error.

But little room for error, also meant little room for overtaking.

As the engine roared and the sleek car hurtled forward, indicating Amelia started her first fast lap, she focused entirely on the track in front of her. She knew George was as determined as herself to end up high in the starting grid.

The first few corners were a fierce display of skill and precision as she pushed her car to the limit.

"P7, we're through to Q2."

"And George?"

"P4."

Amelia groaned out of frustration. "What happened with the bet?"

"Excuse us, Amelia. Q2 is for you."

The clock ticked down, and the stadium erupted in cheers as Amelia posted pole position time. However, the battle was far from over, and they were still in Q2.

Her pole position time was stolen by Max, who lost his time to Charles by a fraction of a second. But her time was still worth a P3 starting position.

"The updates are amazing," Amelia shouted through the radio. "P3 in Q2!"

"Perfection, Amelia."

With a short break until Q3, Amelia drove to the pit lane. Her mechanics quickly put her on softs before pushing her car inside the garage.

"Amelia, this is your moment. Show them what you've got." Toto's words of encouragement boosted her confidence.

Amelia nodded, her eyes focused on the track mapped in her head. The last ten cars began to roll out of their pits, forming a line to start their flying laps. All ten, including Amelia DeLuca, George Russell and Charles Leclerc, determined to get that pole position.

The clock started ticking down, Amelia knew she had to deliver a perfect lap if she wanted to secure pole position, her first of her career. And she knew she was greedy by wanting it, but she also knew she was an outstanding driver in an outstanding car.

Max crossed the finish line first, giving him pole position for now. Amelia used all her skills while her car darted through the streets of Monte Carlo. Her lap was near-flawless, and she could feel the car's responsiveness to her input. She almost felt one with the car, something she had been missing the first few races.

Charles drove in front of her, improving his own time, putting him on provisional pole position as he bettered Max's time too.

Amelia's radio crackled to life. "P3, Amelia. That's a beautiful P3." Her engineer announced. "Time to Leclerc was 0,104. And to Verstappen was 0,089."

Her heart sank sightly, knowing that her shot at pole position had slipped away by just a fraction of a second. But P3 was still a fantastic starting position, and the race is where the points are earned, those thoughts made her regain her composure.

Meanwhile, George's attempt to better his times or those of Amelia didn't go as planned, and he ended up in P7. So right now the starting grid until himself would be

Ferrari - Leclerc
Red Bull - Verstappen
Mercedes - DeLuca
Ferrari - Norris
Alpine - Gasly
Aston Martin - Alonso
Mercedes - Russell

Alonso had given his retirement announcement at the beginning of the season, he actually wanted to retire last season alongside Lewis Hamilton, but when Aston Martin made a girl from the F1 Academy their reserve driver, he stayed one more year.

That way she could adapt and improve to the male-dominated Formula One, and he would keep the seat warm for her. That was his plan at least.

Lando Norris' switch to Ferrari had been marvellous as well. He adapted to the car quickly, had 4 podium finishes already. And he was favourite to get another one in Monaco.

But not if Amelia got any say in it. She was determined to get her first podium of the season with Mercedes. Charles getting pole was heartwarming too, he deserved a Monaco win.

A/N: The chapter is a bit shorter, because I am trying to finish the story, but I have a hard time deciding how to end it (don't worry, it will definitely be a happy ending!). Next chapter will probably be the last chapter, so buckle up ❤️