Woman- A Formula 1 Fan Fiction

Chapter 1

Don't Blame Me by Taylor Swift gives me major Hannah Steeler vibes- it's soft but a little bada*s at the same time :)

The blaring sound of my alarm awakens me to a bitter halt of my restless night. How many hours of sleep did I get? I cannot imagine more than four. The anticipation of my first qualifying session in a Formula 1 car was nagging me throughout the night, sending my stomach into somersaults. 

"You have nothing to worry about," I told myself several times. It's true, I really didn't have a lot to worry about- I was a talented driver, in the fastest car on the grid. My practice session times told me so. If anything, I should be completely confident.

But as I rolled out of my bed bright and early, 6:00 am to be exact, I feel a wave of nausea hit my body at a full force. I run into the bathroom and stand over the pristine toilet in my ginormous bathroom.

 I wait for my stomach to calm down before I look to my left, into the lit-up mirror. I see an extremely pale-faced 19-year-old girl, her auburn hair in disarray, mascara rubbed onto the bottom of her lower eyelid. Her purple eye bags were apparent in the gleaming light of the bathroom, her hundreds of small freckles shown as well. It takes me a second to realize that this young-looking girl was me.

My name is Hannah Steeler. Many people in the racing community have heard my name, as I am the most successful female driver of all time. The racing community is small where I come from, making my success story even more full of glory.

 I was born in Vancouver, Canada, a city on the west coast of the second-largest country in the world. I love my city, for the beautiful landscapes, and more importantly, my family and friends. Before I was 16, Vancouver was all I had really known. I traveled periodically around the country, Quebec in particular, for karting, but I always came back to my hometown.

 I started karting when I was 13, just for fun with my dad. He and the rest of my blended family saw my potential in the sport, so by age 14, I was winning races all over the country for two years. The racing community in Canada saw my name in fear, as I was a force to be reckoned with. That's where a certain Formula 3 team saw my talent and started scouting me.

The Prema Formula 3 team became my new abode. Moving to Europe was a nasty jump for me at 16- I had to leave all of my friends and family to focus on a dangerous career at such a young age. 

But thank goodness, I proved to Europe that I deserved the spot I acquired from Prema- I was runner up in 2019, and champion in 2020 for the Formula 3 series. By the end of 2020, everyone knew my name- Hannah Steeler, the first female champion.

Soon after my victory with Prema, it was announced that I had a spot with the Formula 2 team, named Carlin. I had my best season of all time at Carlin in 2021, winning the Formula 2 championship, and setting all-time records throughout the entire year.

 It was a big deal to even get on the Carlin team, as a certain driver by the name of Lando Norris had a very successful season with them, so I was constantly compared to him on the media. Thankfully, I managed to beat his records for the team, giving me a little hope that I could go to Formula One the next season.

The news that I was replacing Lewis Hamilton, the 7x World Champion, on the Mercedes team in Formula 1 not only shocked the world but myself. The fact that Mercedes chose me, a young female driver, to replace the great Lewis Hamilton was such an honor.

 But, the weight of Lewis' successes has only made me feel more nervous- especially with all the eyes on me. The world expects me to match the world champion's successes, or outdo them. There is heavy criticism of Mercedes's decision, due to my age and gender, my few years of experience.

 In my own defense, every single time the press has brought me down, I have only proved them wrong. Winning my Formula 2 championship was my biggest success, after all the backlash I was given. Some people were excited about me- others got defensive. It's confusing to be a woman in the sport, in the most desired seat. That's why I have to be as emotionless as I can- emotions are weaknesses as a woman in my position.

The first step in my morning routine is to head to the hotel gym for a brisk jog on the treadmill. Exercise always clears my head, and on a big day like this, I needed my head clear. 

Even though my crippling anxiety can be seen as a weakness, I always look at it as me being careful about every single moment on the track. My anxiety increases my precision in all realms of life, but most on the track.

I brush my teeth and hair while also throwing my hair in a quick high ponytail. My naturally curly hair is chemically straightened, as it makes my childish face look more mature. I also make sure to put eyebrow product on my blond brows, and also thick dark mascara to my equally light lashes. I know it will rub off in the shower later, but I don't want to be seen by any F1 drivers with a naked face. It will make me look weaker than my actual personality. 

The activewear I wear hugs around my curves, the ones that make me extremely insecure. But my clothes give me the movement I desire for going on my jog. Once I make myself look presentable, I make my way into the real world. I take a deep breath, knowing today will be one of the biggest days of my life.

Hey guys, this is my first fanfiction, so tell me if you have any suggestions! If I get anything wrong about F1 in general, also tell me, I can mistakes. Thanks for reading :)))