Rivalry | Lando Norris

𝘧𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯

I quite enjoy flying with airplanes and never understood how could anyone be scared of them.

Everytime I made sure I had a pair of headphones and a good book that I was going to read during it.

Night flights were my absolute favorites because you could see cities under you lightened up while the plane landed.

Well, I had FP1 on Friday at one o'clock in the afternoon so I ofcourse took a flight from France in the morning to be there in the last minutes.

Usually I didn't do this, but almost everyone in the paddock was either mad at me or absolutely ignored me, due to my win TWO WEEKS ago.

It was ridiculous. Especially Stroll, Sainz and Russell were getting on my nerves. They couldn't stand a woman was better than them all combined together.

Suddenly a baby on the flight started crying pretty loudly, almost making me deaf. After all, there were only ten minutes left until landing so it wasn't as bad as it seemed.

Of course, the famous clapping for bringing us to Italy alive, I don't get why this is a tradition but I followed it to be respectful.

Members of the aircrew politely said their goodbyes to us and we were free to leave our plane.

Making my way through the airport in Bologna was quite difficult because I don't visit Italy often.

To be real, I find myself in Italia only for the two Grand Prixes a year which is clearly not a lot to remember the whole airport.

Finally. I found the exit and began walking towards it until a hand stopped me and I quickly glanced at the person.

"Long time no see, missed me?" he said making me look him from his head to toe. "Not really to be honest." I answered with a sarcastic smile.

He laughed and pulled me in a hug placing his chin on my head due to the height difference between us.

"Going to the paddock?" "How did you guess it that quickly?" I chuckled at his stupid question, no I was here to explore the nature.

"Want a ride?" Leclerc offered me and I quickly accepted not wanting to take an uber ever again.

"Where is Alexandra?" I asked because Charles was with her pretty often, well what could I say they are in a relationship.

"She couldn't attend the race this weekend unfortunately" he answered and took one of my suitcases in his hand.

Previously, I arrived to France with only one suitcase but mother gave me something that would drag my luggage into overweight so she had to lend me one of hers.

We walked to his car and Charles opened the door for me. He was a respectful man, compared to other living men and guys on this planet.

"Did you have a word with Toto for the contract extend?" he turned his face to me causing me to chuckle.

"Is this being asked as a friendly relationship or work relationship." Charles chuckled at my response.

"Nah, Wolff didn't offer anything and i'm not sure if he will." I answered him truthfully, my future was now unclear.

If he wants me to be in Mercedes for the next few years, he will eventually talk to me about it, but if he didn't I couldn't force him.

The idea of this being my last season scared me and I did not want to end my appearance in Formula One.

But I was not the only one who had a contract running out slowly, Norris, Leclerc, Vettel, Albon and Alonso were on the edge too.

Mclaren was obviously keeping Lando if they wanted good results, even though he didn't have a win on his account, he was a great driver.

Ferrari and Leclerc already made a deal to extend his contract on an unknown time, but they didn't announce it officialy yet.

Sebastian was unsure about his attendance and probably will retire on the end of the 2023 season.

And the rest were probably keeping their drivers for the twenty twenty four season.

"Do you think he'll renew your contract?" Charles asked me and I honestly didn't know what to answer.

I couldn't say I was sure about him getting me a new contract, but I couldn't say I was sure that I would end my career in F1.

"To be honest I don't know, i'll have to hope for the best." my response didn't even shock Charles because he knew Wolff.

His decisions were unsure a minute before he announced something and this was the worst, I don't know what to expect from him.

Everything relied on my results, skills and media. Results were important for points and skills were exactly the same.

Media were similiar to torture, they wouldn't stop until the interviewers were fully satisfied and humbled you as much as the could infront of the world.

The man sat beside me in his car didn't have it easy either, when Ferrari fucked their strategy up it would affect Charles more.

Sainz was like the favourite kid of the twins, even though it may seem differently outside of the races.

Cars in F1 oftenly had the same strategies for both cars but Charles's was the one getting fucked up immediately.

Drivers were forced to listen to their teams strategy so we didn't have a choice to avoid them.

Wolff would be pissed off most of the time, because he had a stubborn Cancer in his team and that was no one else than me.

This was a reason not to let me continue working in Mercedes.

When the strategies were poorly planned or didn't suit my situation in races I would change them up on how I wanted often.

Sometimes it worked, sometimes it did not.

And if it wasn't my lucky shot, Toto would be the first to smear the shit in my face for not listening.

He made me feel like a child, it was getting ridiculous overtime.

"We're here Madison" Charles exclaimed and I jumped out of the car, checking out the Italian environment around us.

"Welcome to Imola I guess."

AUTHORS NOTE:

Thoughts on the Mclaren teasing on Instagram?

A thousand words, well my second longest chapter so far.

⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅

chapter XVI.