Shameless - lestappen

25 - They Don't Know About Us

Despite the FIA statement, I can feel the eyes linger on me a little longer and hear the whispers exchanged across the paddock.

Fortunately, I do not attend the press conference on Thursday, which allows me to avoid questions about what happened.  But it was replaced by a meeting with Christian Horner in private.

He looks at me with a smile on his face but I can feel the anxiety on his face. 

"Max, how are you?

- All right. What about you, Christian?

- You gave us a lot of cold sweats with everything that happened last weekend...

- I'm sorry, it won't happen again.

- Can I ask you to explain? 

Words get stuck in my throat. I don't want to tell anyone about it at all. It's far too painful and shameful. I'm far from proud of this. 

- It's my personal life. 

I sense Christian's disappointment. I trust him and we're close but not close enough for him to know that part of my life. 

- All right. In that case, I'm going to ask you not to let your privacy interfere with your status as an F1 driver with redbull. If you jeopardize the integrity of our team with inappropriate behavior, I'll be forced to break your contract whether I like it or not, and I certainly don't want that to happen,you either, I suppose?

- No, I don't. I promise you something like this will never happen again. Can I go now?

I am getting up when Christian talks again. 

- One more thing, Max. 

I sit down and frown at his annoyed look. 

- What's the matter?

- I understand there's a petition circulating in the paddock asking for your suspension from this weekend's race.

- What? They don't want me to drive? Who started this? Why is that?

- The demands are that they do not want such behaviour not to be sanctioned by the FIA, and the initiative comes from the drivers, they do not want to drive with you after what happened.  I do not know more. 

- But... It's up to the courts, not the FIA, to judge me for my actions! 

- We agree, the problem is that pictures taken at the hospital of the victim you... beat up... leaked and people are furious that you could do that. Moreover, given your ranking in the championship, that is to say in first place, I suspect that some drivers will seize this opportunity to sabotage you. 

- But who would do that?

- Are you really asking me that? Leclerc is only 13 points behind you, I remind you, and from what I understand he has very good reasons to resent you for other personal matters."

My blood is freezing. Charles? 

I trust him. 

But Christian's not wrong. Charles has every reason to be angry with me, and he confided to me that his career was his priority only a few days ago.