Lights Out • 1 • Formula One ✔️

Chapter 97

Counting down to the big 1-0-0! Who's hyped?

~***~

T> 'Another lap like that and we're golden.'

A> 'Should I push harder?'

T> 'Can you?'

A> 'Haha, just watch.'

It was the final practice session before qualifying and I was hyped. The car was running the smoothest it had done in a while. I had picked out the optimum braking points and was able to reduce my lap time by a full second and a half since I had started this weekend (even though the tyres were the same). Despite being on the slower compound, my time was fastest out of those who were running the same tyre. The only cars ahead were the Mercedes of Valterri Bottas and the Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo since they were running a few more laps on the soft tyres.

T> 'Okay, solid job. Be weary of turn 19 - you're getting close to brushing be wall. Time improved - still P3.'

A> 'I was thinking that. How much room do I have there?'

T> 'Barely an inch.'

A> 'That's a lot for some.'

I continued to put in laps that were quick, however the inevitability started to get slower as the tyre condition depleted. With about fifteen minutes left in the session, a double yellow flag was brought out in the last sector, shortly followed by a red flag. I still had to complete the rest of the lap since it was brought out when I was driving along the first DRS straight.

It wouldn't affect me too much; my tyres were dead by now so I would've been coming in a couple of laps anyway. I wasn't staying out for data anymore but to build my confidence and experience. The real thing was a million times better than anything I could get done in a simulator. I needed to pit soon anyway because I had ran out of water and was starting to get quite hot.

T> 'Careful at turn 19. Red Flag is for Bottas who crashed out.'

A> 'Shit. Is he okay?'

T> 'He's out of the car and walking.'

As I approached the corner, I could see bits of debris scattering across the width of the track. There was a bit of traffic to get through since no one wanted to drive over any of the parts and risk damaging the car this close to qualifying. It's almost guaranteed that he won't be able to drive in qualifying - Mercedes would have to pull off a miracle and then some to get that car out.

It looked as if he clipped the wall and then spun across the track before hitting the other wall. The car had both back wheels hanging off since that's appears to be the bit that collided with the wall. That much damage could indicate an engine change is required, which would ultimately give him a penalty. I'm just glad that for once I'm not the one that's planting my car in the wall. That would've been disastrous for the team.

As the pit crew pulled my car into the garage, Emanuel jogged over to greet me. He offered me a hand to help me jump out of my car which I gladly took before softly landing on the ground next to him. I lifted my visor slightly so that I could hear him better.

"We're in a good position for qualifying, kid."

"That's good," I replied breathlessly.

Emanuel pulled his lips to the side and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Go cool down, and take that medication the doctor gave you. It's sod's law that things lined up on the hottest race weekend."