sour | oscar piastri

↳ 22. 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘹

alright racers!!! here is the next chapter, heavy aelina focused with a few crumbs of exactly how a slow burn works hehe next chapter is going to have you all screaming :P dont forget to leave your comments. love you all x Vi

─── ⋆⋅🧡🥐💥⋅⋆ ──

Thursday. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The F1 paddock buzzed with anticipation for the Canadian Grand Prix. The media center was abuzz with the usual pre-race activities, and all eyes were on Aelina. She felt their stares heard their gossip, she had hoped that after her home race and the interviews she had given that things would die down, but it seemed the media was fixated on discrediting her skills based on her gender.

As she walked into the press conference room, she saw the other five drivers she was doing the conference with already seated and left an open space for her between Pierre and Max. Aelina smiled at them as she took her spot.

Tom started off with the questions, going around from the left to the right on the white couch, when he stopped on her, he asked her about her thoughts on her Spanish GP, how she felt about the race this weekend, where she thought the car stood. Most basic questions. It wasn't until they got to the question round from the journalist sitting in the conference room when things got uncomfortable.

The first question came from a seasoned journalist known for his controversial takes. "Aelina, some critics argue that the mechanical issues shouldn't have made you lose the stops you had, and that you should have been able to defend your position. But were unable to do so due to lack of driver skills with you being a female driver. How do you respond to such claims?"

Aelina took a deep breath, aware that this line of questioning had become all too familiar. She could see the other drivers too shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Lewis had picked up his mic ready to defend her, but she cut in before he could say anything, "I believe in equal opportunities for everyone in this sport. I am here because of my skills and dedication, not my gender. The mechanical issues were unfortunate, but they had nothing to do with my abilities as a driver."

The questioning continued, with journalists probing into her past performances and scrutinizing every aspect of her career. Aelina remained composed, answering each question with a grace that spoke volumes about her resilience.

"Well, it's essential to remember that racing is a challenging sport, and performance is influenced by numerous factors," Aelina replied, maintaining eye contact with the latest reporter that asked her a question. "Last weekend, we faced some technical issues with the car that affected our overall performance. It's not fair to single out my gender as the reason for a challenging race. Every driver faces ups and downs, and we learn from them to improve."

She emphasized the importance of focusing on the sport itself, the technical aspects of racing, and the teamwork involved in F1. Aelina remained professional, not allowing herself to be drawn into a defensive or confrontational stance.