Thursday PM
"C'mon, you can do this..." you repeat to yourself, taking a deep breath and mentally preparing to take a step off of the plane.
The warm, cloying air hit you immediately, Miami was exactly as hot as you had remembered, even at 7 o'clock in the evening. When you'd been offered the role of Director of Communications of the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 team you had expected to travel but spending your first day on the job in Miami had come somewhat as a surprise. HR had given you the choice, fly out to Miami a few days before the inaugural Miami Grand Prix or hold off and start on the following Monday. You always liked a challenge so thought that the former route would be a good baptism by fire. They had promptly sent you a work laptop and phone so you had been able to get up to speed with every project that was currently underway.
You moved through the airport quickly, arriving at baggage claim in record time. You couldn't help but smile at the huge Formula 1 billboards scattered around the airport. You were joining one hell of a money-making operation and a large part of your new role would be securing the funds to keep the team at the leading edge. Brokering deals between sponsors and the team was a key part of the business and it would be your job to ensure everyone was happy.
Exiting baggage claim you spotted a smartly dressed man holding a board up with your name written across it.
"Hi, I think you're here for me," you say as you approach him.
"Good evening ma'am, nice to meet you. My name is Carlos and I will be your driver throughout your stay here in Miami. Please allow me to take those." He gestures towards your two rather large Rimowa suitcases.
"Lovely to meet you, Carlos. That's so kind of you, thank you very much." you blush as it does seem like a lot of luggage for a four-day trip. HR had warned you of the possibility that you may need to travel straight to Barcelona after Miami and to pack enough to last a few weeks so you'd taken your trusty suitcases and packed them to the brim.
You followed Carlos as he cut through the throng of people, leading you to the parking garage to a rather glossy Mercedes S-Class. He opened the door for you and made quick work of putting the suitcases in the trunk as you ducked into the back seat.
"I know this shouldn't come as a surprise but what an incredible car!" you exclaim, sinking back into the luxurious cream leather seats.
"Only the best for the best team." Carlos winked as he backed out of the parking space.
You chatted away to Carlos as he sped along the twisting overpasses that exited the airport. He was a Miami native and full of travel tips and places to visit during your short stay. As you gazed out the window you took it all in. Miami was a strange place, a clash of cultures with glossy high-rise condos on one side and down-to-earth bodegas set behind. You'd visited a few times before and knew which side you preferred. You hoped to be able to escape the built-up areas for a little post-race fun.
As you pulled up to your hotel it sunk in. You had one night to compose yourself and then would meet the team tomorrow morning, ahead of qualifying. Having worked in motorsport for quite some years, working your way up from a Marketing Assistant to Comms Director you were more than familiar with racing but Formula 1 was a different kettle of fish. Fortunately, you had a fair amount of knowledge to draw upon as your father was an avid follower of the sport and you'd grown up watching stars such as Alonso and Raikonnen battle it out on track. It was surreal to think that Alonso was still racing to this day.
Check-in was breezy and you found your room easily with the help of a very friendly bellhop. Your hotel room was simple but luxurious with a large cloud-like bed, marble tub, and floor-to-ceiling windows with a breathtaking view out across the harbour. There was no point in unpacking your suitcases but you took out a few of the outfits you had planned for the next few days.
In a bid to beat jet lag you decided to make it an early night, running yourself a bubble bath and cosying up in bed in a fluffy white towelling robe.
Friday AM
You woke up bright and early at 5:00 having slipped off to sleep quickly and forgetting to close the curtains. It was still semi-dark outside but car headlights were flashing from the boulevard below. You didn't need to be at the track until 9:00 for a welcome breakfast so had plenty of time to get ready.
You were never the kind of person to feel nervous about getting dressed for work but today felt different. All team members were expected to wear a branded uniform on track and you were no exception, however, you were yet to receive it so would have to improvise for today. Luckily you'd brought options and tried on three different looks before settling on a simple pair of navy trousers and a navy shirt. Accessorising with a tan leather belt and sling-backs, you felt confidently chic, if a little old before your time. You'd blow-dried your hair and done full glam, hoping to make a good first impression.
You grabbed your handbag and made one final fit check in the mirror before making your way down to the hotel lobby.
As promised, Carlos was waiting outside to take you to the track. It was an easy fifteen-minute drive from here and you got there in no time at all. You'd seen hundreds of GPs in your time, however, you weren't quite prepared for the hustle and bustle that met you at the paddock entrance. Everywhere you looked things were being wheeled in, from tyres to huge crates, journalists waiting lined up with cameras, snapping away to capture a glimpse into paddock life.
You made your way to the security gates as you needed to have your photo taken for your pass.
"So you're joining Mercedes huh?" said the security guard, his tone seeming unimpressed as he snapped your photo.
"Yes, I'm super excited to be joining at such an interesting time." You said tactfully.
The man laughed, "You could put it that way, those guys haven't won all season."
"Well I'm sure things will turn around in no time, I've heard they have some star engineers back in the factory. We'll figure it out." You winked.
He shrugged, not convinced by your optimism "Let's see. Here's your shiny new pass ma'am. Director of Communications, fancy."
As he handed you the glossy purple pass you inspected your photo.
"That's actually not so bad, I'll have to come back to you when I need to renew my passport," you laughed, putting the pass around your neck.
"Well, it's not hard to take a great picture of someone so beautiful. Good luck on your first day." he chuckled as you made your way through the gates.
"I try my best" you blushed, silly as it felt, your confidence was buoyed by the compliment.
Walking through the entrance you started scouring the horizon for the Mercedes logo. HR had asked to meet you in the hospitality building for a welcome coffee. Finally, you spotted it, right at the far end.
As you made your way through the paddock you recognised a few familiar faces, the drivers surrounded by a sea of cameras and eager fans angling for a selfie. It was only 8:45 but music was already pumping, Bad Bunny making sure you remembered where you were in the world.
You finally reached the hospitality area, a glossy room that you couldn't believe was temporary. Although you were early, you spotted a small delegation at one of the tables with stacks of paperwork. Hedging your bets that this was HR, you approached them. "Hi, I'm the new Director of Communications. I'm supposed to meet with HR at 9:00 and wondered if you might be them."
An older blonde woman stood up to greet you, "Oh great, lovely to meet you, you are absolutely talking to the right people. I'm Pamela, I believe you spoke to my colleague Holly on the phone?" she gestured at a younger blonde woman sitting at the table.
"Oh yes, lovely to meet you both." you shook their hands.
"Please take a seat and let's get everything we need signed right away. I already have your contract but I'll need you to sign this NDA and waiver."
"Sure, thank you for organising everything," you sat down and began to read through the paperwork in front of you. It was all pretty standard for this industry, the NDA (non-disclosure agreement) forbade you from sharing company information and the waiver asked that you agree to work hours outside of your contracted forty.
"If anything is unclear, please let us know." Pamela said.
"Thank you, it should be all straightforward." you continued reading.
Satisfied with the paperwork, you grabbed the pen and signed on the dotted line.
"Perfect, thank you. Welcome to the team," said Pamela, filing the contracts away in a glossy branded folder. « Now the only thing left is to get you your team uniform. Holly will be able to help you with this if you follow her. »
Holly stood up, "Would you like to grab a coffee or a drink before we go? Once we go upstairs it might get rather full-on."
"Sure, that sounds good." You stood up and followed Holly to a rather snazzy barista setup.
"Hi, what can I get you?" the girl at the counter asked.
"Just an espresso for me please" You always liked your coffee strong, it was the only thing that bolstered your spirits on long working days.
"No problem, one coming up." The girl turned to the machine and started busily making your drink.
You made the classic first-day small talk with Holly, discussing if she'd ever been to Miami before (she hadn't) and how hot it was (extremely).
The barista handed you a small cup with your espresso. You smiled as you noticed that even this was branded. This industry never missed a trick with branding opportunities.
"Great, so if you'll please follow me, let's get you your uniform." Holly gestured towards a staircase you hadn't noticed on your way in.
Leading you up some rather neat wooden steps, you follow Holly through another communal meeting room to an office. Inside, there was a white table with clothes and shoe boxes laid out.
"Right, so our uniform consists of a white shirt, black trousers, trainers and a black parka." Holly gestured at the table, "We received your sizes and have brought those, along with one size smaller and one size larger to ensure a perfect fit. I will leave you for a moment to try them in privacy and if you need a mirror there's one on the back of this door." She gestured towards a door on the adjoining wall. "When you're done, please come and grab me from next door."
As Holly left the room, closing the door you came through behind her, you looked through the clothes laid out. You figured it would be most sensible to start with the sizes you requested, feeling a bit awkward as you undressed in the middle of the office. As you slipped on the black pants, you were pleasantly surprised to find they were a perfect fit, hugging your butt in all the right places. The shirt was a little tight so you reached for the larger size.
Just as you turned around to face the mirror and button your shirt, the door burst open, revealing a very surprised, tall brunette man. You immediately recognised him as Toto Wolff, the Team Principal, aka your new boss.
"I'm so sorry, I was looking for my assistant." he stammered, blatantly taking an eyeful of your rather see-through lace balconette bra, as you hurriedly pulled your shirt together, then awkwardly looking away towards the window behind you.
"No worries, you'd see more on the beach," internally you were mortified but outwardly tried to downplay it. "Holly from HR said I could try these in here, I hope that's okay? I'm new, it's my first day today." You tried to salvage the awkward situation having successfully covered your almost naked breasts.
"I suppose that's true, but you don't often go to the beach with your colleagues in our line of work." He laughed, breaking the tension and stepping into the room.
"Does that mean we're not hitting South Beach at our team briefing later?" you smiled, a glint in your eye.
"If only." His embarrassed expression dissipated into a warm smile, his eyes crinkling "It's absolutely fine to be in here though, I'm so sorry again. So if today is your first day, you must be the new Director of Communications?"
Surprised he knew about new starters, you replied "Yes, the very one."
"Lovely to meet you, we're looking forward to having you join us. I'm Toto by the way, the Team Principal and CEO. I'm sure we will be working very closely together." he reached out a hand to shake yours, again rather awkwardly, " I think my assistant has put some time in for us later today before the team briefing, maybe we can do a real introduction then?"
Shaking his hand, you laughed "Nice to meet you too Mr Wolff, that sounds good to me."
"Please, call me Toto and I'm sorry again for walking in," he apologised again, a blush creeping across his face.
"Honestly, don't worry Toto, these things happen and you weren't to know I was in here." you reassured him.
"Well, I will leave you to try on your uniform. See you later," he said, ducking awkwardly back out of the door.
Smiling, you bid him farewell, "Nice to meet you and see you later!"
"Likewise, welcome to Mercedes." he grinned, closing the door behind him.
You continued to try the rest of your uniform until settling on the perfect fit, thankfully this time uninterrupted. Of all people, you couldn't believe it had been the team principal to walk in on you half-naked, the man you had been most nervous to meet. Although you were beyond mortified and regretting your choice of transparent underwear, it had at the least broken your nerves. Nothing could now be worse or more embarrassing and he had been very apologetic.
Ten minutes later you emerged from the room with your chosen pieces in your arms, making your way to the room next door where Holly was waiting. "Hi Holly, I've tried everything on and settled on these," you said, gesturing at the clothes in your arms.
"Great, can I just grab those and note the sizes so that I can get five sets ordered?" She extended her hand towards you, taking the clothes and shoes and noting the sizes down.
"Five? Wow, that's a lot more than I was expecting!" your eyebrows raised.
"Trust me, in places like Miami and Singapore you'll thank me." Holly laughed and handed you back the pieces you had chosen.
"That's true I suppose, should I put these on for now?" you asked, trying your best to fold the shirt whilst holding onto the trousers and trainers.
"It's totally up to you, however, you feel comfortable. You can leave your clothes in the office where you changed if you'd like. We don't have any other new starters today so no one will go in there. Once you're done, perhaps could you please make your way back downstairs?"
"Except for Toto." you thought to yourself. Choosing to stay quiet on that particular encounter you replied "Great, thank you, I'll just go and change and then meet you back downstairs."
You made your way back to the room to change, this time choosing to face away from the doors just in case. Folding your carefully chosen first-day outfit you regretted the amount of time you had spent this morning choosing an outfit no one had seen. Stepping back and inspecting your new uniform in the mirror you were pleased, it was a good fit. Fitted without being too tight but fitted enough to showcase your gym-honed body, all in all, a good uniform that you wouldn't hate wearing every day.
Satisfied with your new look, you made your way back downstairs to the hospitality area where Pamela and Holly were both waiting for you with a now full table.
"Doesn't she look great!" Exclaimed Pamela.
"I know!" Said Holly, their colleagues nodding in agreement. "Welcome to the team!"
"Thank you, very excited to be here." You blushed, not used to the compliments.
You spent the next hour in hospitality meeting an endless stream of new faces, trying to mentally keep track of everyone's names and positions within the company. It seemed as if everyone and their mother was coming in for a cup of coffee to start the day. Engineers, mechanics, logistics, they were all there. Finally, it was time to meet your direct team, the Communications department, a group of eighteen people who you would be overseeing. You were met with a sea of friendly and enthusiastic faces, as well as some surprise at how young you were to be stepping into such a prestigious role. When you had been offered the role, you were aware that your predecessor was retiring and knew that the team wanted someone younger with a fresher perspective.
Introductions were short and sweet as Holly was adamant she needed to whisk you away for your meeting with Toto Wolff. Of course, she was not aware that you had already met him earlier this morning and you hoped that it wouldn't be too awkward.
She led you back upstairs, into the room where you had gotten changed, knocking on one of the doors Toto had burst through earlier, "Toto, I have someone for you."
"Yes, come in" called out a voice from inside the room.
"Hi Toto, this is Y/N, our new Director of Communications. Y/N, this is Toto, our Team Principal, and CEO. I will leave you two to get acquainted."
"Hi Toto, nice to see you again." You said with a smile, causing Holly's eyebrows to raise in surprise as she exited.
"Hello Y/N, likewise. I still must apologise for this morning, I am very sorry if I caused you any distress. It's not the way I normally like to meet my new members of staff. Please have a seat." He gestured towards the seat facing him.
"Honestly, no worries at all. We're all grown-ups and you didn't know that I was in there." You sat down across from him, "I must admit I was a little nervous for my first day but it has definitely broken that. I've spent the morning meeting the team and they've all been lovely so far."
"I'm glad to hear it, I pride myself on the fact that our team is one of the friendliest in the paddock. We work hard but ultimately we like to feel like one big family." He smiled. "So, tell me about yourself? I know that you have come to us from Audi, so not so different. And before we get into it, can I offer you a drink?"
"Water would be great please," you continued to tell him about your previous role as he poured you a large glass of iced water from a branded carafe. As you spoke you couldn't help but be a little unnerved by him. He was an extremely tall, imposing man, even sat down behind a desk and you could sense that he was someone you would not want to get on the wrong side of.
"So what made you want to join our team?" He leant forward, not breaking eye contact and giving you the impression he was trying to psycho-analyse you.
"Well, I fancied a change of pace and I've always enjoyed the travel aspect of my career and this opened up that opportunity. My father was an avid Formula One fan and I have followed the sport since I was a child so it felt right."
He leant back, folding his arms, still gazing into your eyes. "Interesting. Well, we certainly travel around a lot. You'll have to bring your father to one of the races once you are settled in."
You laughed "That was the first thing he asked when I landed this role, when can I come?"
Toto smiled, you couldn't help noticing that he really was rather handsome. His white Mercedes shirt was cut to perfection to showcase his muscular arms and broad chest. "Everybody's family says that, including my own. You would think they would be fed up with it by now but no."
"I suppose it's the nature of the job." You smiled, echoing his body language and leaning back into your chair, "So Holly mentioned that we have a team briefing this afternoon. Obviously I do not have anything to add at this stage but I would like to introduce myself, would that be the appropriate time?"
"100%. I will introduce you and then we can take it from there. I am aware that you have, how do you say? Jumped out of the frying pan into the fire? It's not an easy way to start but I hope you will start to get the measure of how we work and the expectations from our sponsors."
"Great, that sounds good." you replied, satisfied that at least there was some kind of plan. You continued discussing the ins and outs of your role for the next twenty minutes, Toto assuring you that although this weekend was going to be a sharp learning curve, he understood that you were new to the company so was willing to give you a grace period.
As you wrapped up you started to make a move from your chair, " Thank you so much for your time Toto, I really appreciate the warm welcome. I will leave you alone now as I know you must be a very busy man."
"Not at all, it's been my pleasure. We will be working very closely together and I hope that you know my door is always open at any time." He got up to show you out, his imposing stature even more evident.
"Thank you, Toto, I'm looking forward to it." You made your way out, pleased that your meeting had not been too awkward following the morning's encounter.
As you exited his office, Toto called out to you, "The uniform looks great by the way!"
And there it was, the awkwardness was back. You turned around, trying to hide your blush "You would say that, we're twinning!" You inwardly cringed at your response but it seemed to win over Toto who was laughing as he closed his office door. Hot-footing it back downstairs you weren't sure what to make of your new boss. He had an air of authority but equally seemed receptive to having a laugh. He was also incredibly handsome, more handsome than someone in motorsport had business being.
As you made your way down the stairs, you were met with a small camera crew. Not sure whether you should be in the shot, you tried to skirt around the edges when you were suddenly whisked to the side by a harassed-looking Pamela.
"I am so sorry but I realised we forgot to ask you to sign one more document, the waiver for you to feature in the Netflix documentary, Drive to Survive. It is unlikely they will want to heavily feature you but it is standard practice for all of our employees as they can then have free reign to film all areas and not worry about having to avoid certain faces."
"Sure," you had forgotten about Drive to Survive, one aspect you were less keen on. You had no ambition to be in the public eye and the documentary had transformed certain team members into TV stars. Even Toto had not been so much of a household name prior to the show. Hoping to give a good impression, you signed without protest, praying that you would not be featured. You knew that as Director of Communications you would undoubtedly be involved as it was a huge part of the team image, but hopefully you could keep behind the scenes and manage things from afar.
You spent the rest of the morning being briefed by various teams on how they worked with the Communications team. Time flew by and it was lunchtime before you knew it. You had a lowkey lunch in the hospitality area with a few members of the Communications department who would be working under you. They were noticeably nervous about eating lunch with their new boss so you tried to put them at ease by asking them about Miami. It emerged that everybody was excited and hoping to get to the beach on Sunday evening if the race went well for the team. You crossed your fingers that Sunday was going to be a success.
Friday PM
As the afternoon rolled on, the team got into practice and everyone was very much focused on the task at hand. You shadowed your team, learning where you would be needed on qualifying and race day. It was almost an overwhelming amount of information to process but once you got used to the structure of the team, it felt familiar.
The atmosphere in the post-practice team briefing was lively and boisterous after Lewis and George had performed above expectations with everyone excitedly chatting about the positive results. You heard a door open and a hushed tone took over the room. You turned your head and saw exactly why. Toto has entered. You could see from the way the noise dampened as he entered that the team had a huge amount of respect for Toto.
He made his way to the front of the room and clapped his hands together, "Well, firstly I would like to say thank you and well done to everybody. These results are the best we have had all season and I know how much hard work, blood, sweat and tears have been put into making the car more drivable." A small burst of applause broke out and he paused, "But I think we should all be aware that we should not be complacent, good performance in practice is one thing but qualifying and the race are different beasts. We need to continue to push tomorrow and on Sunday and get back on top, where we belong." Approving nods went around the room as he continued to assess the day's performance, highlighting the good as well as areas of improvement.
The discussion continued for quite some time, with active participation from the team. You were impressed with how collaborative the team felt, Toto was right, it was like a big family. As he wrapped the practice analysis, he looked over towards you and gestured for you to come and join him. Gingerly making your way to the front of the room you turned to face the team.
"Last but not least, it is my pleasure to introduce you all to our new Director of Communications," he paused for another round of applause and murmurs of welcome, "She is joining us from Audi's racing team and we are very much looking forward to welcoming her to the family. I am sure many of you may have already met today but I would like you all to make her feel welcome and introduce yourselves if you haven't already. She will be key in preserving our brand image and communicating our values to the wider world, including sponsors."
"Thank you Toto, I am thrilled to be joining the team and I look forward to tomorrow and Sunday." You kept it short, unsure what else to add but Toto beamed away and seemed happy.
"So, that brings today to a close, I look forward to seeing you all bright and early tomorrow. I have a good feeling and I think we will soon get back on top." Toto once again clapped his hands together, signalling the end of the briefing. The team immediately began to file out so you followed suit.
"Y/N," called a voice from behind. You turned around to face none other than Lewis Hamilton.
"Oh hello, you must be Lewis?" You said politely, well aware of who he was.
"Yes, nice to meet you. I think we'll be spending a lot of time together moving forward and I just wanted to introduce myself and welcome you to the team before the crazy of the weekend." He held out his tattooed hand to shake yours.
"Lovely to meet you, I appreciate that. I expect I'll be bugging you to film social media content, wear watches and drink Monster all the time from now on."
He smiled, "It's never a bother, I know how tricky it must be to manage those relationships. It's good to have someone with a new outlook. Toto mentioned that you would be a little younger than Sarah, your predecessor, and I think it's a good thing. She was amazing but times have to change."
"That's interesting to hear, I've heard a lot about Sarah. Feels like big shoes to fill."
"Indeed," Toto suddenly loomed out of nowhere, "She was an incredible team leader and I know that the team will miss her a lot. But as Lewis said, it is exciting to get a fresh perspective."
"Well, I will use this weekend to gauge where we are at and let's see." You replied.
"I can't wait. Lovely to meet you," Lewis made a move towards the door, "I had better head off for some shut-eye."
"Nice to meet you too Lewis, sweet dreams," you turned to Toto, "Thank you for the glowing introduction, it was a little daunting getting up there in front of so many new people."
"I know, I hope I didn't put you on the spot there, as you may have guessed, they are very excited to have you on board." He smiled down at you, "I suppose I should also get going, we always try to have an early night before qualifying."
"That's good to know, I am feeling a little jet lagged so will also make an early night of it." You started walking towards the door, thinking that Toto would be staying behind but instead he followed you, asking, "Are you getting a car back to the hotel?"
You turned back towards him, "Yes, I think my driver, Carlos, should be waiting for me, I dropped him a message as we were wrapping the briefing."
"Efficient, I like it. Well, I need to go and take care of a few things before I head off. Are you okay to walk back to the parking lot alone, or would you like me to walk with you? It's getting dark outside," His eyes showing genuine concern.
"That's really kind but I should be fine, I did the same route in the morning so hopefully I can figure it out," you made your way out, not sure what to make of his offer. As a new member of staff, you didn't want to show any weakness but equally didn't want to come off as rude so you added, "Thank you so much for offering though,"
"If you're sure, get back safe okay?" He paused at the bottom of the stairs that would take him back to his office, "And thank you for not saying anything about this morning to Holly or Pamela, HR would not be kind about it."
You laughed, "Don't worry Toto, it was as awkward for me as it was for you and I figured it's better off being our little secret. Let's agree to never speak of it again."
"Well, I appreciate that, it's a deal." he winked at you, "Goodnight Y/N."
"Goodnight Toto."You made your way back to the paddock, which was somewhat emptier than earlier but still bustling with people. Glad that you hadn't taken up Toto on his offer, you made your way quickly back to the parking lot.
You set your sights on the familiar silver Mercedes saloon where Carlos was patiently waiting "Hi Carlos, thank you so much for waiting for me."
Opening the door for you, Carlos replied "Good evening ma'am, my pleasure. How was your first day?"
You chatted away to Carlos as he drove you back to the hotel. It hit you as you entered the lobby just how tired you were and you decided to forgo dinner in place of an early night. Making your way back up to your room you reflected on how your first day had gone, aside from the flashing the boss, it had been smooth sailing and you couldn't wait for Saturday when you could really get stuck into the role.
Saturday AM
Jet lag was definitely going to be an issue, you woke up at three o'clock, four o'clock and five o'clock before realising that there was no way you were dropping back to sleep so you made the executive decision to head down to the hotel gym. Slipping on your favourite workout fit, pink shorts and a matching sports bra, you made your way down the elevator and through the heavy glass doors. Unsurprisingly the place was empty so you made the most of it, running for half an hour and then moving onto the free weights.
Pumping your music through your headphones you hadn't noticed that you were no longer alone in the gym and got quite the shock when you turned around to see Toto making his way towards the weights bench. He made eye contact so you slipped your headphones off.
"Good morning Y/N, I didn't expect to see anyone down here. No one ever comes this early so I always make the most of it." He said, clearly looking at your skimpy pink outfit up and down.
Glancing back at him, clocking his tight black tee and grey workout shorts, you responded, "Morning Toto, I'm sorry, I can leave if you prefer to work out alone. I just couldn't sleep, still a little jetlagged."
"No not at all, please don't go on account of me, there is enough space for us to work out together and I could do with a spotter." He said, gesturing towards the weights bench.
You smiled politely "Well if you're sure. I'm not sure if I am the best spotter if you lift as much as I'm thinking you do but I'm happy to help."
"How much do you think I lift?" He smirked, "For all you know I might be bench pressing ten kilos."
"Something tells me that's not true." You laughed, "Let me know when you'd like me to help, I have two more sets to do and then I can be all yours."
"Perfect, and if you ever need a spotter, I am here too." He smiled, getting onto the treadmill to warm up.
You felt a little awkward continuing your squat set but it would have been weirder to stop and start another exercise so you made a start.
"You have great form, you know." You turned around to see Toto running on the treadmill, watching you intently.
"I try my best," you replied, still unsure of what to make of this man. Was he just being friendly or was there a spark? Surely it would be extremely unprofessional for him to flirt with his new colleague, especially one who reported directly to him.
"I can see that." He smirked yet again, "Sorry I will leave you alone to finish your sets."
You powered through your sets, hyper-aware of the fact that you were now being watched, praying that your shorts weren't too see-through every time you bent down. Eventually, you finished and glanced over to Toto who was sitting on a weights bench wrapping his hands.
"I'm done so all yours," you wandered over to him.
"Great, thank you. Could you please stand behind my head?" He got onto the weights bench, lying back with his head at one end and feet firmly on the floor.
"Sure, I'll be here if you need me." You made your way over and got into position, standing directly over his head as he reached his arms out to the barbell. "How many reps?"
Toto glanced up at you, "Twelve, think you're up to it?"
"Sure, let's go." You got into position, hands hovering ready, clocking the double plates on the barbell. This guy was strong. "Shall I count you down?"
"That would be very helpful." Toto wrapped his hands around the barbell.
"3, 2, 1, Go." Toto proceeded to lift the weight, his face strained in concentration. As he reached his twelve reps he began to slow, having reached his limit.
"Eleven, Twelve." He counted his last two lifts and placed the barbell back on the rack, satisfied with his set, "I now rest for two minutes." He stayed flat on his back, out of breath, looking up at you, making you suddenly aware of the fact that he was getting an eyeful of your underboob from this particular angle. Tactfully taking a step back, you glanced down at him.
"That was impressive Toto, but maybe next time you can try and bench more than ten kilos?" you grinned, hoping he would take the ribbing the right way.
"Very funny." he cracked a smile, "Maybe you can try and squat five?"
"Touché" you replied, enjoying this light banter. "So how many sets do you do?"
"Just three, I don't do too much but I try to do enough to stay in shape in my old age." he said effusively.
SIlently thinking to yourself that he was doing more than enough, you smiled, "Three is plenty and you're not old!"
"How old do you think I am?" he said, a cheeky glimmer in his eye.
Catching onto his playful banter, you replied "That's a trick question. If I have to answer, you do too."
"Okay, but you go first." he smiled, clearly enjoying messing with you.
"I don't know, forty five?" you shrugged your shoulders.
"Close, but not quite. One more guess." he teased.
"Okay, forty seven?" you guessed again.
He smiled, "Closer, I'm fifty. So definitely old."
"Wow, okay, well then I hope you're flattered that I shaved five years off of that. The only reason I didn't say younger is that I know you've been with the team for quite some years and unless you were a baby Team Principal I took a punt" you glanced down at him, hoping you'd said the right thing.
Still smiling, he looked as if he was sussing you out, "Very logical. I'll take that, five years is okay."
"So how old do you think I am?" you gazed down at him.
He deadpanned "Not a day under seventy three."
"Oh my gosh, how did you know?" you laughed, feigning surprise.
"I'm the Team Principal, it's my job to know everything." he winked at you, "I'm kidding, I saw your CV, I know exactly your age."
Surprised he had even seen your CV, you smiled at him, "With brilliance like that, I can see why you're the boss."
"Maybe I can teach you a few things." his gaze hardened, "Two minutes is up, time for the next set."
You repeated the process twice through, until he could lift no more, sweat pouring off him.
"Thank you very much. It was good to be able to do my full workout without my trainer. Perhaps I will see you more in the gym?" he eased himself up, mopping his brow with his t-shirt, flashing you a glance of some surprisingly solid abs.
Snatching your eyes away you replied hastily "Yes, perhaps. Let's see how the jetlag situation goes."
"You'll get used to it, don't worry. It takes some time but we all do." his brown eyes filled with concern.
"I hope so, thank you Toto. That certainly woke me up. Now I had better go and get ready for the day." You turned around, making your way towards the double doors to exit.
"Me too, I'll see you at the track." he waved goodbye.
Saturday PM
Having taken your time to get ready that morning and catch up on the deluge of emails that had already come your way, you made your way to the track for what would be your first quali. As Miami was a new track you were to pay particular attention to the worldwide press and corporate sponsors' race day experiences, with some of your team assigned to the Yacht Club and Beach Club areas to keep an eye on.
Now feeling like a seasoned professional, you scanned your pass at the gates and made your way to the Mercedes Hospitality Area, where you were greeted by Holly.
"Good afternoon Y/N. How was your evening? Did you manage to get out and about?" she bounced up to you, clearly not as jet-lagged as you were.
"Hi Holly, it was nice thanks, I actually went straight to bed. How about you?" you replied.
"Ah, jet lag? You get used to it, I promise." she said, "Can I get you a coffee or anything?"
"Yes, I hope so! That's fine, thanks, I try not to after lunchtime." you knew caffeine was a slippery slope and you hoped to get through the day without it.
"If you're sure, perhaps then I can show you up to your office?" Holly gestured back towards the spiral staircase.
"My office?" your eyes widened, "I didn't think I had one, I thought this was it."
"Oh no, you have an office in a prime spot." she laughed. "Come with me, I'll show you the way."
"Great, very handy!." you followed her up the stairs where you had gone yesterday and made your way through the room where you had changed and towards Toto's office. She stopped short of his door and turned to a door just to the left, entering into a compact but sleek workspace.
"Wow, this is neat," you exclaimed, looking around. It still blew your mind that this entire building was essentially a glorified trailer. You had a glossy white desk, black leather chair and acrylic laptop stand. Opposite was a black leather sofa and a small drinks fridge, stocked full of iced water and soft drinks. You immediately felt right at home, confident you would be able to work easily from here.
"I hope you like it, apologies I didn't bring you here yesterday, I didn't want to overwhelm you. It's up to you where you work but when things get going it's useful to have a space to escape to and crack on."
"It's perfect, thank you, Holly. Perhaps I might stay up here for the next hour or so until I'm needed in the garage?"
"That's no problem, please make yourself at home." Holly left, closing the door behind her, "I'll see you later."
"See you later," you called out, not sure if she heard you.
Just as you had gotten settled in and put your head down to work your phone buzzed with a text.
Hi Y/N. I'm sorry to bother you but there is a situation down at the Marina and I'm not sure how best to deal with it.
It was Tom, the Partnership Manager, who worked on your team. A little unnerved by the vague insinuation of a situation, you replied.
Okay, I'm on my way. Give me ten minutes and I'll be there.
You gathered your laptop, a notebook and phone and rushed out of the door, smack bang into a very tall and solid man's chest. Throwing your hands up in your face instinctively, he grabbed your arm mid-air stopping you from falling backwards from the force of the thud.
"Y/N. We have to stop bumping into each other like this." you looked up to see Toto looking down, his large hand still wrapped around your wrist.
"I'm so sorry Toto, I'll check both ways next time I open that door." you stammered, freeing your wrist, a little unnerved being so close in his proximity.
"No worries, I'm a big boy, I can take it." his eyes widened realising how his words sounded, "Sorry that was crass, you know what I mean. It didn't hurt, don't worry about it."
You blushed at his comments, not sure what to say. "I know what you meant. Well, I had better get going, my team needs me down at the marina."
"Okay Y/N, I'll see you back in the garage then." he now looked bemused.
"Sure, see you soon Toto." you half ran away, fifty percent from embarrassment, fifty percent because you were late, hoping that the tall Austrian was not watching you.
Having successfully located your Partnerships Manager, Tom, it became apparent that the situation in question was none other than the famous fake marina. You'd seen it everywhere on social media but were surprised to see that it was somehow worse in real life. The vinyl water was pixelated and looked ridiculous alongside the fake boats. Tanned men in polo shirts and women in skimpy bikinis paraded around on the glossy decks, clearly making the most of their five-figure tickets as you sought to rectify the situation.
One of the key team sponsors was not happy with the bottle service on their yacht and was threatening to pull their involvement if it was not improved for race day. Fortunately, you were able to successfully smooth things over with the promise of two paddock passes and made it clear to the waitstaff that they needed to prioritise your guests. Tom was clearly grateful for your help and support and looked considerably calmer as you diffused the situation.
"Thank you Y/N, I was in above my head on that one," he walked alongside you, back to your office, "Nothing I said appeased them"
"Ah, that's where our paddock passes come in handy Tom," you smiled, "They're like gold dust round these parts."
"Well that's good to know for the future, hopefully, they will sort the marina next season!" he grimaced, "I can't believe how expensive those tickets are."
"It's Miami, they were always going to be," you paused and turned around, "Although even I must admit it's bizarre to have fake water in a city full of waterways."
"That's what I said to everyone!" he exclaimed. "Well thank you again, I am going to head over to the Beach Club next and check in on what's going on there."
"Great, thank you, Tom, if you need me for anything I am going to be in with Marketing for the next hour." you smiled at him.
"Thank you Y/N, hopefully not. I'll see you soon," he called out as he walked off into the throng of people making their way to the further corners of the track.
Thankfully the afternoon passed with no further drama and quali went just as well as the team had dared to hope, with Lewis scoring P2 and George P3. The team briefing that followed was equally as positive as the evening before and you were impressed with how everyone in the team discussed their highs and lows. Hanging around afterwards, you met several more new faces, including George Russell, the team's other star driver, who seemed equally as friendly as his counterpart.
Eventually, the team started to dissipate and sensing it was time to go you started to make a move towards the door before a deep voice called out to you. "Y/N, did the guys invite you to our dinner?" It was Toto.
You turned back to face him, surprised to see he had changed out of his Mercedes uniform and into a pair of beige chinos and a light blue linen shirt. He looked rather dashing and a touch less intimidating. "Oh no, no one mentioned it to me, is it happening now?"
Toto caught up with you, "We're heading out now, it's a little tradition that we try to go for one team dinner with everybody per calendar month. Somewhere lowkey and casual where everyone can let loose and bond as a team."
"That sounds lovely," you paused, feeling foolish about what you were going to say next, "The only problem is I only have this." you gestured down at your uniform. "Won't it look a little conspicuous when you've all changed?"
Toto smiled kindly, "Yes, of course, well if you go now you can stop off via the hotel to change?"
"Great, I'll ask one of my team to text me the details," you said, returning his grin, "Thank you, Toto, it's very kind."
"Perfect, see you there." Toto turned to another member of staff and you could hear him asking the same. It was nice that he took so much time to talk to his employees and foster the team spirit. You were starting to gauge the way this team was run and you could already tell it was much less toxic than the one you had left behind.
Sunday AM
You woke up late the next morning feeling warm and fuzzy. As the race was not until eight-thirty that evening you'd enjoyed a lie-in. Last night you'd all gone to a down-to-earth steakhouse, a little out of town. It had been a good opportunity to get to know everyone a little better and you were surprised to see that even Lewis and George were there, chatting away to anybody who would listen.
As you had gone back to your hotel to change, you'd arrived a little later than everyone else and they had no qualms about all squashing up to make space for you, taking your place with the rest of the Senior Management. You'd enjoyed a pleasant chat over dinner with the Strategy Director and Chief Engineer with Toto interjecting every so often. You admired the way that after plates had been cleared he worked the room, making sure to mingle amongst even the junior staff. You tried to follow suit and did some of your own networking, checking in on your team especially. All-in-all a good experience and one that you looked forward to again.
Mindful of the fact that you needed to bring your a-game today you made sure to keep the drinks minimal and switched to soda and lime pretty early on in the night. A few of your colleagues were edging towards tipsy but you were glad to see that people seemed to be sensible.
Getting ready for the day, you took a little extra time doing your hair and make-up as last night Toto had warned you that Netflix would be filming some scenes in the garage. It seemed silly but you wanted to look as good as possible if you were in shot. Satisfied with your appearance you made your way down to the lobby and into the garage where Carlos was waiting. Having your own driver was a perk you had not expected and one which you'd quickly grown accustomed to. Greeting Carlos and ducking into the backseat, you could not quite believe your luck.
Sunday PM
Carlos kindly dropped you right at the paddock gates meaning you were able to go straight in. Having eaten brunch in your room you decided to go directly to your office and catch up on your work, grabbing an espresso on the way. As you made your way there you noticed a certain buzz in the building that had definitely not been there on Friday or Saturday. It was certainly race day.
Comfortable in your new chair and now stuck into work, you were thankful that there were no more hiccups this afternoon and your main priority was ensuring some content Lewis had filmed with Tom Brady went out in good time with the correct information. Satisfied with your team's efforts you closed the lid to your laptop and leaned back, staring into space, pensieve.
A knock on the door snapped you out of it and you looked up to see a red-headed woman peeking around the door. "Hello Y/N, we haven't met yet but I'm Toto's EA, Lara. He would like to see you before the race, are you free now?"
"Nice to meet you, Lara, sure I can do now." you stood up, gathering your things, "Is he next door?"
A voice called out "Yes I am."
"You can hear me?" you asked incredulously.
"Crystal clear." you could hear a deep, throaty chuckle, "The walls are thin and you are extremely loud."
You made your way around to Toto's office, Lara disappearing back into the main communal area.
"So no private phone calls?" you asked, taking a seat opposite him.
"There are no secrets in this team," he said, looking smug.
"Noted. What's on the agenda this afternoon?" you asked, trying to stay professional.
"I'd like to get your take on Netflix. As it stands they have asked if I am available to spend a full day with them in a few weeks." he paused, looking unsure of himself, "They want to film another gym scene as they say the last one was very popular on social media. What do you think? I think it's a bit weird, no? I would rather concentrate on the racing."
"Hm, on one hand, those scenes make you more of a character, more personable but on the other, we only have limited screen time as a team. Would you not rather use the day to focus on Lewis or George?" you said tactfully.
"That's exactly what I'm thinking, why would anyone want to see me when they can learn more about our stars? His brow furrowed, "I know that some of the other team principals relish it but it's not my thing."
"I have heard on the grapevine that you have quite the legion of fans though? It could make sense, especially if they are spending the same amount of time with the other Team Principals. We don't want you to look starchy in comparison. We have to play the game a little." You weighed it up, "I think let's pencil it in for now. I will try to find out if they are doing the same with the other teams."
"Okay, I had better get practising then, I have to keep up appearances." he said, "Maybe you can be my spotter again?"
"Absolutely not." you flatly refused, "I'll be there behind the crew, making sure they don't catch you only lifting ten kilos."
"Let's see," he said, in a tone that implied you were not wiggling your way out of this one.
"Is there anything else you would like to discuss while I'm here?" you asked.
"No I think that is all, Lara will put it in the diary." he folded his long fingers together under his chin, "I'll let you know if there is anything else."
"Thanks, Toto," you bid him goodbye and made your way out.
"See you later," he called out.
Now at T-1 Hour, you made your way back to the group hospitality area where you had set up some of your team for the race. The social team would be down in the garage gathering content, the sponsorship team down in the Yacht Club, and the press team with the drivers doing the media circuit, leaving you with the marketing and merch team. The race would be shown on a big screen within this space, giving you the bizarre experience of watching the race on TV despite being trackside.
Keeping an eye on the press and social media feeds you were satisfied with the way content had been delivered so far this weekend. Ironically the top performing post across all platforms was one of Toto sipping a cocktail by a pool. You made sure to note this down to bring up in your next meeting.
Soon enough it was lights out and away we go, the race a tense and noisy affair. Thirty-two laps in, Lewis managed to take the lead, leading the rapturous applause around the room, however, one unlucky safety car later and he dropped back to second. As the chequered flag was waved, Lewis took a respectable P2 and George a P4, having been just pipped to the post of a podium finish by Carlos Sainz. They were arguably the best results of the season and you hoped this was the turning point for the team.
You quickly made your way down to the garage to cast your eyes on the post-race interviews. Sky Sports had already grabbed Toto who was looking thrilled with the results. Wrapping his interview up, he came over to you.
"So your first race day, what did you think?" he asked, looking at you expectantly.
"It was great, there was a real buzz in the air. I'm so glad we're back on top, where we belong." you gestured at the TV repeating the footage of the podium, Lewis spraying a huge bottle of champagne everywhere.
"I hope so." he smiled warmly. "Let's see what next week brings."
You couldn't help but agree with him on that one, it seemed a little pre-emptive to dare to dream for a win. "Indeed." Smiling back at Toto you realised that you were running late for Lewis' photocall, "I have to dash but let's catch up properly on Monday."
"Sounds good, I hope you get out to see some of Miami tonight." he replied, "It's a fun city."
"Let's see." you laughed, wanting nothing more than to crawl into your bed.
"Another early night?" he winked at you.
"Maybe," you said shyly, knowing full well that is exactly what you were going to do, any minute now.