daylight , carlos sainz

i. season starter

the french air was crisp, an indicator of the season's change as winter settled into the country as micaela santos strolled leisurely through the charming streets of molsheim. her gloved hand clung to a steaming cup of coffee, and she was completely rugged up, clinging her coat to her body and a scarf wrapped several times around her neck. she offered smiles to those she walked past, familiar with many people in the town, as were they, as she often graced the town with her presence, loving to visit her team's factory. the bugatti factory, sprawled across the fields of the beautiful french countryside, felt like her second home.

as micaela pushed through the large front doors of the factory, she was greeted by a wave of warmth, a stark contrast to the biting cold outside. camille, the factory's receptionist, looked up from her desk and offered micaela a warm smile and a pleasant greeting. it was an unspoken understanding; micky was always welcome here. no directions were necessary, as she knew the factory like the back of her hand. her team principal's office awaited at the end of the familiar corridor, drawing nearer with every step. her smile grew as excitement coursed through her veins. it had only been a week and a half since their last meeting, but she loved seeing the man.

her eyes fixated on the plaque bearing the name "guy strickland" as she pushed open the door to his office, a grin adorning her face. guy looked up from his desk, his smile matching hers.

"micky!" guy exclaimed in his hearty texan drawl, "how are you, honey?"

"divine," micaela replied, her spanish accent contrasting with his, "i'm thrilled to meet my new teammate. you've told me nothing about the man!"

"it's all about the suspense, ain't it?" guy chuckled at the mock distress on his driver's face.

almost as if on cue, a knock resonated through the room, and camille's lovely voice rang out, announcing the presence of the man in question. with guy's voice of confirmation, the door swung open, and a somewhat nervous-looking man entered. micaela immediately rose, embracing the unsuspecting newcomer in a warm hug.

"hi, i'm micaela santos. i'll be your new teammate this season, and i am so excited! also, you need to teach me italian!" micaela exclaimed, enthusiastically.

he smiled in return. "i'm marco valerio. i'm very excited as well. and i will teach you italian, but only if you teach me spanish."

marco extended a hand to shake guy's, who had risen from his seat to connect hands with the new recruit. micaela resumed her seat, beaming as marco settled into his chair next to her.

"here we are, our lineup for 2022, and i have complete confidence in us," guy beamed. "let's go over some basics before we meet the team." the trio settled in, ready to begin their new season, filled with both promise and anticipation.

✭

about three months later, the bahrain sun lit up the dining room of the hotel, almost completely booked by the travelling formula one teams. they gathered downstairs for a nutritious breakfast buffet, contributed to by all team chefs, uniting the grid before the race for the world championships began, and friends became enemies. the room was currently a lively gathering of everyone reuniting, seeing each other again after an extended period of time, or greeting others from different teams.

micaela and marco entered the room, the former excited to introduce her new teammate to everyone, practically forcing him to make new friends.

"marc, i'm so excited to introduce you to the rest of the drivers! they're literally so fun, and so nice and, i think you'll love them all!" micky babbled as she walked beside the younger man, "obviously you'll know me, but you're not the only one new on the grid this year. zhou is joining, who you'll know from f2, and albono is back this year! he's a 2019 rookie as well. i think you'll get along with everyone really well."