The weekend in Spa was a tough one for Alessandra and the prancing horse, with the free practice sessions and qualifying showing how tight the top three battle is, with Charles, Max and Lewis's time barely a tenth separating them.
She also spent time working in her office, wanting to make sure that everything should go as planned during the race, and read through data reports about an important upgrade package that was coming into fruition during Monza, which was in two weeks. She was excited for her second home grand prix, the activities planned, the atmosphere of the track, the temple of speed itself. Honestly, if she could, she would just time travel to the Italian grand prix weekend.
But she couldn't, so she focused on the race, and because of that, she barely had time for her friends, who started to worry about her and how she was drowning herself in work. She hadn't seen Toto much either, only a couple of times at the paddock, exchanging a quick smile before she disappeared into the garage or the motor home, and he worried too, but he promised her about Lake Warfaaz, so he couldn't say anything to her about it.
After the race, which had finished with Max winning the race, Charles getting second place, and Lewis closing the podium, Alessandra and Toto stood side by side under the podium as they watched their drivers, they did not say a word, their arms were rubbed against each other, the contact sending shockwaves through their bodies, but they didn't say anything, not even after when the podium celebrations, just gave each other a small smile and parted ways.
When she headed back to the hotel after doing some last minute work before heading to the Netherlands, Alessandra found her four friends behind the door, holding wine bottles and snacks, and she couldn't leave them out, especially with the pleading eyes they gave her, so she took them inside.
"Max, shouldn't you be celebrating your win?" Alessandra asked as they made themselves comfortable on her bed and the small sofa across from it, "and Charles, I know the win didn't come home, but you drove amazingly, you should be celebrating too!"
"Ale, you've been distraught emotionally all weekend, and you didn't say a word to us," Charles replied, squeezing her hand when she sat down on the edge of the bed next to him, "and I know that you didn't say anything because you didn't want us to worry about you whilst we needed to focus on the race."
"And as much as we did focus, we also worried," Max said, "we can celebrate whenever we want, but you'll always be a priority to us, no matter what."
"We gave you your space, we know that if you really needed us, you'd come to us," Mick said, giving her a small smile, "but four days in Spa, we had to make sure that you're doing okay."
"Are you doing okay?" Carlos asked, "did you have any mental breakdowns or bad waves of sadness? If so, did you handle them well?"
"I'm truly the luckiest person alive to have my group of people care so much about me, but I promise you I'm doing better now," she said, giving them a genuine smile, "I was not doing okay when we arrived, but then I took some time for myself, and I've slowly done better, but now I just want to leave Spa and get to Zandvoort and have an amazing time there."
"And we will!" Max exclaimed, his smile wide at the mention of his home grand prix, "I've got a little something planned for us whilst we're there."
After spending a couple of hours eating snacks the drivers would have gotten their ass kicked by their trainers if they saw them eating them, and drinking a bottle of wine each which got Max and Mick drunk , because they were absolute lightweights and then ended up needing help getting back into their rooms by Charles and Carlos, Alessandra was laying in her bed, sipping on a glass of wine whilst watching a movie that was playing on the hotel tv. She glanced to the side, at her bedside table when the hotel room phone started ringing. Confused as she never got a call on the hotel line before, she picked it up, putting the received against the side of her face.
"Hello?" She asked.
"Hi," Her heart started thumping loud in her chest at the greeting from the thick voice that belonged to one Austrian. She pushed her body upwards, resting against the headboard better as she swirled the glass of wine in her hand, trying to use the delicate movement of the liquid a distraction of how a simple greeting made her insides flip.
"Hi," she replied, her voice soft, almost above whisper, which sent a wave of warmth through Toto's veins as he laid down on the bed, one hand holding the receiver whilst the other was under his head as he looked up at his ceiling. "Toto?"
"Yeah?" He asked.
"Did you need something?" She asked back, her cheeks turning a bright shade of red as she was embarrassed to ask why he called, not wanting to sound rude, but she had no idea why he called her, "also, should I even ask how you managed to find out my room number?"
"Best if you didn't," he replied, and he can hear the chuckle from her end, "I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay. I didn't have time to even say hello to you after Thursday with how busy the weekend was, and whenever I got a glimpse of you, you were either in the garage or rushing back in the motor home."
"You truly don't know what the meaning of what happens in Lake Warfaaz stays there huh," she laughed, shaking her head as she took another sip, "I swear if you're going to keep that night hanging over my head I'll find out something about you and keep it over yours."
"And here I was trying to be a kind gentleman and all I'm getting in return is threats," he shot back, and he couldn't help the smile making its way on his face when he heard the loud laugh, followed by a small snort on the other side of the line, "all I'm asking is if you're okay that's all. Talking about grief is never easy."
"I know, and I appreciate you checking up on me, so don't be offended when I say this," he could hear the sincerity in her voice, and that made him feel warm inside, and the thought of her voice effecting him like that made him sick with confusion as to why he felt like a giddy teenager, "I can't have us talking about this, because if it slips out when we're talking in the paddock, and someone hears us, they'll know that I confided in you when I had a weak moment, and I'll be made that I'm so weak that I'm confiding with my rivals, and it could then turn into some conspiracy that we're teaming up in some way."
"Ale, even if we're seen chatting about the most random thing in the middle of the paddock, people will create a conspiracy," Toto replied, "those conspiracies that people behind screens on twitter are to be ignored."
"Toto, it will always be different for you than it is for me," she sighed, taking another sip of her wine, "I'm the only woman out of the 20 team principals on the grid, the youngest team principal, practically a child in the ring, and I'm fighting to get to the top whilst vultures try to come for me, be it in the paddock, or in the media. And honestly, if I can avoid anything that can be used against me, even if it is an innocent conversation about grief, I will. I cannot be made to be weak, especially whilst running the biggest team in motorsport."
Toto didn't say anything, letting her words swarm in his brain, being processed one by one. He understood what he meant, he understood what she worried about, he knows how horrible the media is. He's got his fair share of the backlash, especially when the divorce became public, even though he wasn't the one to blame for the marriage to end with Susie. He knows how vicious the Formula 1 world is, how people within the sport will come for blood every chance they get. And the last thing he wants for Alessandra is to get more than she's already receiving.
"You're right," the Austrian mumbled, "but can I ask how you're doing, now that the weekend ended? I promise this is the last time I'll ask you about it."
"Fine, since it's the last time," she chuckled, "I'm okay, distracted myself with work for the most part, but I'm okay. I'm currently watching a movie and drinking wine in a gorgeous hotel room before travelling to the Netherlands tomorrow, can't get better than that."
Alessandra almost dropped the phone to slap herself in the face when she realised how much she said, details he didn't need to know, even if they seemed innocent. She's slowly losing her filter whenever she talks to him away from the race track, and it's dangerous for her. She cannot be vulnerable around him, on and off track, she needs to be the same confident woman who is ready to take down every wall in her way to take her team to the top and show how capable of a woman she is to run the team.
"Seems like you're having a good night then," he replied, "you're heading to Zandvoort early."
"Would like to see a bit of the country before the race," she said, "last year and the year before I had to go back to Maranello and arrive right before the weekend, now I can enjoy the country a bit."
"That's good, you need some free time during a triple header," he said, "but I'll let you enjoy the rest of your night. I'm glad to hear that you're doing okay."
"Thank you," she said as a small smile made its way on her lips, "good night, Torger."
"Good night, Alessandra," he replied, replicating the same smile, even though he couldn't see it, "sweet dreams."
Just like she told Toto, Alessandra spent a day roaming around Amsterdam after her and the team arrived in the Netherlands. She enjoyed riding through the city on a bike she rented, visited museums, homes that belonged to greats that came from there, even visited a field full of tulips as the sun set. She felt at peace, which was what she needed before the race week started.
She and the guys then went over to Max's residence in his home land, having a few beers and played a few rounds of Fifa, which to some might be a waste to spend a free night before a chaotic race weekend, but to Les Idiotes, it was a one of their many ways to enjoy friendly competition and have a good time, because even whilst playing a video games, they manage to create core memories that they will talk about in the future when they're having a round of beers somewhere else in the world. And for Alessandra, she wouldn't trade those moments for anything, it was moments like these that kept her sane.
The race weekend in Zandvoort proved to be another tough weekend for Ferrari, with Charles and Carlos getting a second and third finish at the race behind Max, but Alessandra knows that there were positives to take from the weekend, as the gap between Max and Charles was barely a tenth, and Alessandra knew that if there was one more lap, Charles would have won the race, especially because it was a race filled with swapping of P1 between the Dutch and the Monegasque. They had tried a small piece of upgrade, which closed the gap from that in Spa, and Alessandra was optimistic that Ferrari had a big chance of winning again, and in Monza, with the full upgrade package coming. Max may have taken the lead in the driver's championship, but Charles was close behind, and she had every faith in him and the team that they'll turn it around.
Her all time favourite race weekend off the season has arrived, and Alessandra could not be more excited to be surrounded by the tifosi at the temple of speed, and it was probably the only race weekend of the year where she's looking forward to attend the events that are planned for her and the drivers. And she was also excited for a very important announcement her and the team were telling the world, something that has been on the works for a couple of months, and have decided to get announced in Monza, and it's all she's been looking for since it was finalised.
The Italian grand prix week started off in Milan, with the team principal arriving at the city Monday evening, staying at a hotel right at the heart of the Duomo square for a couple of days before heading to Monza. Her drivers were staying there too, as they had a few events planned for the upcoming days, and she decided to take them out for a nice dinner at one of her favourite restaurants to celebrate the start of the most significant week for the team, with her favourite people, and they were basically in a competition on who was excited for this weekend the most, it was all they could talk about over good wine and delicious food.
On Tuesday, Alessandra woke up to the buzz of the city under her. She got out of bed and stood out on the balcony, taking in the view she had of the duomo, and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele III, smiling when she saw people dressed in Ferrari merch, some even waving their flags in the middle of the square. It truly touched her heart at how much the tifosi loved the team, the legacy her grandfather created, how much love they had for the drivers representing the Prancing Horse, the current and the past.
She went back inside, grabbing her phone to check the time, finding a text from Charles, asking if she was up for breakfast in one of their rooms before the event they had, and she quickly replied, accepting his offer and telling him to come over to her room when he could. A few seconds later, there was a knock on the door, which made Alessandra shake her head, chuckling as she opened the door, finding her driver and best friend behind it, grinning widely as he held up a couple of boxes which had the name of her favourite coffee shop in Milan on it.
"You are insane," she said as she let him in, "but you most probably have my favourite pancakes in there and I love you so much for that!"
"I thought we could have a quiet celebratory breakfast," he said as he set the boxes on the table sat on the terrace, "Because after breakfast, all we have is endless events and the most beautiful chaos of a race week in Monza."
"The title race is still long, and we need to get back to the front," Alessandra said as she sat down across from the Monegasque, opening one of the boxes, smiling widely at the pancakes covered in nutella, strawberries and powdered sugar, "oh how I love a cheat meal."
"Please don't tell Andrea," Charles replied as he put a mouthful of pancakes in his mouth, "or he'll kick my ass to Sunday with the workout regime he'll create for me."
"Secret's safe with me," she said, smiling at him, "don't tell him about me either or he'll slam me with a horror work out regime!"
"I won't," he nodded, "and by celebration, I mean we celebrate your second home grand prix as a Ferrari team principal, and the news that is coming out tomorrow." Alessandra smiled at the reminder of her second home grand prix of the year, second one as team principal, and she hopes that it's as successful as the grand prix in Imola. And she's also really, really excited for the announcement tomorrow, which was an important task for her as team principal, a task that rookie team principal don't usually get to do, and was something she wanted to successfully close. And she did, and she couldn't be more prouder of the future.
"Alright then," she said, grabbing the iced latte and raising it between them, "to us, the battle we're in together, the friendship we've had for so long, and for the years to come."
"Exciting times lie ahead for us, Ale," Charles said, raising his own coffee drink, giving her a smile, "and I cannot wait for all the upcoming moments we're going to have together!" The two clinked the glasses together as they enjoyed the rest of their breakfast together.
Charles left her room a few minutes later, and Alessandra got ready for the first event of the day, which was the launch of the new collection at the Ferrari store, along with meeting fans and even getting to model a few pieces of the collection themselves. The team principal got dressed in an oversized red and yellow t-shirt with the Ferrari logo over it, tucked under a black skirt that stopped right in the middle of her thighs. She slid on a pair of sneakers, arranged her curls and left after applying some make up. She met with her drivers, who were all dressed in different pieces of clothing from the Ferrari collection, looking all stylish as they walked out of the hotel, and were met with a team of security surrounding them as they walked through the square.
They were met with hundreds of fans who gathered outside the store which was located inside Galleria Vittorio Emanuele III, greeted by loud cheers, screams of their names, chants and waving of their flags. Alessandra could never get over how much love she's received from the beloved tifosi, just before this season started she was always one of them, chanting the drivers' names, cheering her team on. She still does, but she will never get used to the tifosi that she is part of, chant her name.
Her and the drivers got to meet as much fans as they could, signing whatever they pushed towards them, smiling at any phone pointed at them, listening to as many stories about their love for the team as they could, before they were pulled inside the store.
The manager of the store greeted them, explained to them what the new collection was about as she showed them pieces from the new collection that were hanging on the racks as they walked passed them. After choosing a few pieces for them to change into, she left the Ferrari team alone in the changing area, and when they looked at each other, the burst out laughing.
"I feel like I'm backstage at the Amber Lounge fashion show," Charles commented as he glanced down at the clothes in his arm, "at least we won't be modelling in front of an audience."
"I wouldn't hold your breathe on that one," Mick chuckled, "because we might have to greet the fans from behind the store window."
"Oh, so we're basically going to be mannequins," Carlos scoffed, rolling his eyes but he was still grinning, "I'll just give them my best smoulder and half of them will faint from how good I'll look."
"Carlos you look like your braincells malfunctioned when you smoulder," Alessandra shot back, which made Charles and Mick snort a laugh behind her, "just smile and do your usual Carlos looks which gets the ladies swooning."
"Of course you'd know about swooning," Charles howled, and it was Alessandra's turn to roll her eyes, knowing what her driver is getting at, "you're a pro at making guys swoon."
"Aaaaand this is the time to ignore you," she said, getting inside one of the changing cubicles and pulled the curtain closed, shaking her head as she heard her drivers laugh outside.
After changing into the new clothes, having a small photoshoot together in the store, and like Mick predicted, they ended up giving the fans a mini fashion show behind the windows, which sent them into a light frenzy as they cheered them on and photographed them on their phones, the Ferrari clan had a nice lunch at a restaurant close by. That evening, Alessandra had an event with the drivers at a temporary exhibition of a few Ferrari race cars, commemorating the legacy of the team and the history behind every championship winning car that was on display. Alessandra let Mick have the floor when it came to talk about his father's cars, and she was almost in tears as she listened to him explain the stories of her god father's winning days, and how he worked with the team.
"The way he's talking about Michael," Carlos whispered as he leaned closer to his boss, "it reminds me of the way you worked with the team, how you work with us." Alessandra glanced up at the Spaniard, who was smiling down at her softly, "you have no idea how amazing you work with the team, Ale. I hope you know that no matter how the season ends, what choices we make for the future, you should be proud of every single thing you've done."
Alessandra had to blink back the tears that were threatening to escape as she gave her Spanish driver a wide grin, grabbing his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze, a small gesture, but it showed how much she appreciated his words, and how much their friendship means the world to her. He saw it in her eyes, returning the squeeze on her hand before continuing to listen to the German speak about his dad's glory days.
The next morning, for the Ferrari social media channels, Alessandra took her drivers on a drive around Milan and Monza in the Ferrari Roma, putting the car in convertible to enjoy the sun beaming on them as the team's social media team rode around the car on red motorini to film them. Alessandra loved being the tour guide, even though they've been to Milan and Monza many times, she got to show them places they've never visited before, and she knew that whilst making content, she was unlocking another core memory, because she loved driving them around, taking them to a nice spot for breakfast, belting out lyrics out of tune and cracking jokes along the way. It was a video she was looking forward to come out, and watch it over and over again.
After taking a needed nap when they came back from the Milan and Monza road trip tour, Alessandra was standing in front of the mirror, dressed in a red suit, with the Ferrari emblem embroider on the breast pocket, a black silk blouse with the long ribbons untied, hanging loosely over the blazer, the v-neck giving her cleavage a tease. She slipped on a pair of black heels, running a hand through the curls she just arranged, loosening them up a bit. She then grabbed her tube of red lipgloss, putting a light amount on, then put it in her bag.
She glanced away from her reflection when she heard a knock on the door, grabbing her bag and walked through the room and opened it, revealing her Monegasque driver behind it, dressed in the signature Armani suit with the Ferrari emblem matching hers. He gave her a wide grin as he grabbed her hand, pulling it gently in the arm to twirl her around, making her let a loud giggle.
"You look amazing, Ale," he commented when he let her hand go, offering her his elbow, "ready to go?"
"I am," she nodded as she wrapped her hand around the inside of his elbow whilst closing the door behind her, "you look dashing, Leclerc."
"Grazie, amo," he replied as they walked down the corridor, entering the elevator.
They got in the car, this time Alessandra was the passenger inside Charles's iconic Pista Spider, making their way to the location of the event, a gem in Milan. Teatro Alla Scala.
"Why am I nervous?" Charles asked, getting Alessandra to glance at him, watching as he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel off beat, and when he does that, she knows that he's really nervous, "why am I getting nervous about the event, Ale?"
"Are you having second thoughts?" She asked, "if so tell me, we can go back and all I have to do is make one phone call, even though it's a phone call I really don't want to make."
"There's nothing I want more than this, Ale," Charles said, turning his head for a quick second to give her a smile as he patted her thigh, "I just can't believe it's happening, the closer we get, the more real it feels."
"Charles, we've been through this more than once," she chuckled, patting his shoulder, "but I can understand your nerves, I'm nervous too, but I'm excited really."
"I'm excited too," he said as he slowed the car in front of the theatre, being spotted by guests who were entering the building. He turned towards Alessandra once more when he stopped the car, giving her a gentle smile, "I'm just glad I'm doing this with you."
"I'm glad we're doing this together," she replied, returning the smile before the two made their way out of the car, waving at the media and stopping for fans who were waiting outside before entering the theatre together.
The two were greeted by cheers when they walked on stage, waving to the crowd as they sat down on the two empty stools next to Silvia. After the cheering died down, Silvia looked down at her cards for a moment, before looking back up at her boss and driver. She started asking them questions about the grand prix, how successful Ferrari have been in the past, how much the race meant for the two, and Alessandra replied that Monza was one of the first races she's attended, and then went every single year religiously, loving the atmosphere, the track layout, the history behind it. Charles then explained how much Monza means to him, especially after he won the grand prix in 2019, even making a joke about how he named the yacht Monza after that race, which made the crowd let out a laugh.
After a few questions, Silvia gave the two a discreet look, which they caught, and they knew that the important question was coming up.
"So, Charles, you have been with the team for 5 years, having signed the longest contract in the team's history, which has one year left of it," she started, "where do you see yourself doing in the future?"
Charles glanced at Alessandra, who was trying to look professional, but he could see that she wanted to smile widely at him, which made him chuckle, nodding at her before looking back at Silvia.
"My dream was to be a Ferrari driver, and I've got that, then my dream became to win a race with Ferrari, and luckily I've got quite a few of those wins," he started, "my dream is to win the championships with Ferrari, bring them home where they belong. And I am proud to announce, that I have decided to renew my contract with the team I love and adore, for the next five years after 2024."
Alessandra stood up as the crowd got on their feet, cheering and applauding their driver who just confirmed that he's staying with the team and with the tifosi. She walked towards Charles, who pulled her into a tight hug.
"Thank you for this Ale," he whispered, "thank you for believing in me."
"Thank you for being an amazing driver, Charles," she replied, "thank you for believing in me too."
Charles and Alessandra couldn't stay at the after party Ferrari held post that event, as they needed to be fresh and awake for one of the craziest media day for the team, now that it's been confirmed that the driver who has the chance to win the championship has confirmed that he's staying with his beloved Prancing Horse. And boy, were they in for a treat when they entered the paddock of the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
Photographers were pushing over each other to get the perfect shot of the Ferrari clan, with journsists squashed in between trying to shout out questions to them as they walked down the paddock. They stopped only for fans who asked for a signed piece of merchandise or a picture, before getting inside the motor home.
Alessandra, the drivers and Mick were briefed by their respective PR managers about what they should expect from interviewers for the rest of the day, knowing that the main topics were the Italian grand prix being the team's second home grand prix of the season, and Charles's renewal.
They all went and started their media duties, answering every question they had about the race and the renewal, and Alessandra handled certain media outlets like the boss she is when they tried to belittle her decision, saying that she only renewed Charles's contract because they are friends and not because he deserves it.
"Charles is one of the best drivers this generation has ever seen, and I'm not saying that in a biased way. Watch his races, watch his qualifying sessions, those are an answer enough," she said, "I wanted to keep Charles because he's an asset for the team, I made my decision professionally and thinking otherwise is an insult, especially since I'm known about being able to separate my work and personal life very well."
In between interviews, Alessandra joined Charles on a bike ride around the track, seeing if there were any changes they needed to note, and the usual reminders of which places he can gain and which places he needed to avoid whilst driving. They also took the route around the older layout, stopping at the old banking which they always loved running to the top of, never underestimating out steep it is.
It was then time for Alessandra's last interview, which was at the press conference room. She couldn't stop smiling, knowing that her and her childhood best friend were in partnership for at least 6 more years. She had big plans for the upcoming year, and he knew what those plans were, which is why he agreed to renew the contract in the first place, but she was still fighting for the win, she wants him to get the win him and the team so utterly deserve.
When she entered the press conference room, she was met with the Mercedes team principal sat down on the white couch, looking up from his phone, at her, with a smug look on his face when he heard her walk in. She rolled her eyes, making her way towards him, plopping down by his side before making herself comfortable.
He could tell how happy she is, he's seen how happy she was all day. She had an extra skip in her step which he noticed whenever he saw her walk down the paddock, greeting people with wide smiles and tight hugs. She was joking with reporters, and the bright smile became a smug one when some journalists tried to insinuate that Alessandra signed Charles for the wrong reasons. He won't admit it to himself, but he was happy to see Alessandra doing so much better than two weeks ago.
"Well, well, well," Toto started, which got Alessandra to look up at the smirk he had on his lips, "you truly have a way of creating chaos."
"What can I say," she shrugged, giving him an innocent grin, "I just have that effect on people." The Austrian rolled his eyes when she dramatically flipped her hair over her shoulder.
"How does it feel?" He asked, making her look up at him in confusion.
"How does what feel?" She asked back.
"Negotiating your first driver contract," he said, "It's never an easy task to handle, but the first one is always the hardest, even if it is a renewal."
"Yeah, it wasn't easy," she replied, giving him a gentle smile, "I'm still not used to the paper work and negotiation aspect of the job. I still crave the work on the car, any touch I can get on the car, I prefer that over any paper work if I'm honest."
"Paper work is the worst part of the job," he chuckled, "now I don't know as much about cars or been hands on as you, but I prefer anything related to the cars."
"You've got that right," she grinned, and when their gaze locked, she felt a rush of heat run through her, like he was searching through her soul and she was granting him access to see through her. What she didn't know is that he was feeling the same way, the way her blue eyes captivated him, as if she was reading his every thought, knew his every emotion and feeling, and he didn't know if it should scare him, or bring him closer to her.
After the press conference, which got Toto and Fred joking that they didn't need to be there because all the questions were directed at Alessandra regarding Charles's new renewal, but then Fred jokingly almost left when the questions changed to the constructors battle which was between Ferrari and Mercedes, and had friendly banter between Toto and Alessandra, the two big bosses walked side by side down the paddock.
"So," Toto started, "got anything special this weekend?"
"What do you mean?" Alessandra asked, glancing up at him, quirking an eyebrow at him.
"It's the Italian grand prix, the biggest event for the Tifosi," he continued, "you're an Italian team principal, this is also your big event, got anything special happening this weekend?"
"My something special will be seeing my drivers get back on the top step in front of the tifosi once again," she said, giving him an innocent grin as she bit her tongue, not wanting to reveal the surprise she had for the tifosi, "but if there is something else happening, you'll know."
"You're such a tease," he growled, his eyes dark as he stared down at her, the low voice sending chills down her spine, "I don't know if it suits you, or not."
"I'll let you judge me on that," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest, taking a step closer towards him as she gave him a challenging smirk, "is there anything special you'd like me to be doing this weekend?"
Toto's eyes widened at her question, heart thumping hard in his chest as he tried to look confident and composed in front of her. The wheels of his brains were working overtime trying to come up with a reply to her taunting question, a question which sent him into overdrive. But he was brought back when he heard Alessandra's PR manager call out her name.
"Come on Ale," Chiara called out, "we need to get you ready."
"Coming, Chiara!" The Italian replied, before glancing up at Toto once more, "I'll see you around, Torger." She gave him a wink before walking away, watching her stride down the paddock before disappearing into the scarlet red motor home.
Toto was in his office, going through new data he was emailed from Brackley, sipping on his coffee as he took notes in his black notebook, planning on what needs to improve and what needs to be done regarding other areas within the team.
When he finished from his tasks for the day, he left his office, slowly making his way out of his motor home after being stopped a few times by a few engineers. When he got out, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion when he saw many personnels rushing through the garages, including his own.
He knew that there was no work needed to be done, so he went in the garage, wanting to know what was happening to get his team members, and others, excited. He saw loads of team members from every team hanging over the brick wall that separated the pit lane and the main straight.
"What's happening?" Toto asked Bono when he walked towards him.
"Some Ferrari members brought out the F2004," he replied, pointing at the historic car that gave Michael Schumacher his 7th world champion. "The question is, who's driving it."
"What do you mean?" Toto asked, crossing his arms over his chest, "I'd think that Mick would drive it, since it is his dad's car."
"Nope, Mick's standing by the car, chatting with Charles and Carlos, none of them are dressed in race suits or have helmets in their hands," Toto glanced at where the car was, and as Bono said, the two main drivers and reserve were dressed in their team attire, chatting among themselves by the car. "And I don't think Marc Gene is driving it either."
"Then if none of them are driving the car," Toto mumbled, "who is?" As he asked that question, he heard hush whispers around him, along with the sound of camera clicks echoing within the whispers. And when his eyes fell on what everyone was talking about, his mouth fell open, jaw almost hitting the floor.
His ex wife was a racing driver, he liked seeing her in her racing suit, but he never felt the way he did until he watched Alessandra Enzo Ferrari walk out of the Ferrari garage dressed in a racing suit, her long, dark curls cascading down her back, helmet under her arm. The top half of the suit was undone over her hips, revealing the red fireproofs that were tight around her upper body, her breast sculpted perfectly, her toned abdomen prominent. Her eyes were covered by large black frames, shielding them from the beams of the Italian sun. He tucked his hands in the pocket of his pants as he walked down the pit lane, wanting to get a closer look, watching her stand next to the car as she hugged her drivers. He was about to witness another side of her he didn't know he needed to see.
Alessandra felt a buzz that reminded her of when she was competing in karting when she put on the racing suit, and held the helmet in her arm. She loved nothing more than working on cars, but driving cars, race cars, gave her a special kind of thrill.
She was pulled in a hug by her drivers, and she held Mick tighter as her and the German hugged by his father, and her god father's car.
"So," she started when they pulled away, pushing her glasses over her head as she looked at her best friend, "tell me what I really need to know about driving the car."
"I can, and I will," he chuckled, "but I don't think I should do it alone."
Alessandra was confused at the cheeky grin Mick was giving her, about to ask what he was talking about, but when she turned around after he nudged his head. Her eyes widened when she saw Sebastian and Kimi stand behind her, her heart wrenching in joy when she spotted the red Ferrari caps on their heads. She couldn't believe it as she walked towards them, letting them pull her in a hug.
"What are you guys doing here?" She asked as she looked up at them, her smile so wide, brighter than the sun. "I can't believe you guys are here!"
"It was time that we came to a race," Kimi said, "supporting our little Ale."
"And we couldn't miss watching you drive one of the fastest cars ever made," Sebastian said, putting his hand on her arm, "now, I know you know how to drive the car, but let me give you some quick tips."
For the next ten minutes, Alessandra listened to Sebastian and Mick talk to her about the car, taking in the new information from the drivers, even though she had driven it privately around Fiorano, but she was happy to get tips from the two who knew so much about the car.
Her engineer then came, telling her that it was time to get in the car. She nodded, thanking him as Mick took her helmet, the Italian colours cascading over it, the prancing horse in gold at the back of it, Michael's seven stars on the top also in gold. It was a helmet that she designed with Michael, and she was ready to share it with the world.
"I'm so excited to watch you drive around the track for once," Charles said as she slid her arms through the suit, then taking the red baclava out of the helmet, "and that car is one hell of a car to drive around a proper track."
"Are you going to hold back?" Carlos asked as she tied her hair up in a bun before slipping the headset in her ears.
"Never," she chuckled as she put the backlava over her head, "I won't do anything drastic, but I'm still a racer, I want to push the limits."
"Go get em," Mick said when he handed her the helmet, the group of retired and current drivers watching her put it on. She nodded, smiling with her eyes through the visor. She hugged them before getting in the car.
Toto was watching her encounter with the retired Ferrari drivers as she geared up, hiding her face under the helmet. He leaned on the wall as she got inside, and a few seconds later, the screeching sound of the V10 engine filled the air, which got team personnels and fans that were sat in the grandstands gasping and cheering, and he watched her blast past him down the straight.
When Alessandra stopped the car in the middle of the main straight after completing 5 laps, everyone who watched her was in shock, and Toto's jaw was slammed on the floor when Bono muttered to him in shock her lap time. And he wasn't the only one talking about it.
He watched in awe as she got out of the car, waving at the fans that were cheering her name loud whilst her clan were jumping at the side like she just won the world championship. She took off her helmet and baklava, letting her hair fall down her back as she shook her head slightly. She glanced around, but stopped when her eyes fell on Toto's letting his brown eyes, which looked golden under the Italian sun, captivate her for a moment, a moment that felt like eternity, a moment that felt just the two of them. She didn't know how to explain the look he gave her, the smile he had on her face, like he was looking at her with admiration. She shook her head, not wanting to let herself dive in that false belief, giving him a smirk, winking an eye at him before turning back to her friends.
He walked down the pit lane, towards the group dressed in Ferrari gear, and he quickly got their attention, especially the drivers' who gave him the most mischevious grin when they saw him stand a few feet away from them, leaning against the edge of the pit wall.
"Look who's here," Charles said, nudging his team principal who just pulled the ear pieces out of her ears, "and he looks shocked."
Alessandra turned her head, spotting the man she saw earlier, now closer to her, arms crossed over over his chest, bis biceps large under his white shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His demeanour was powerful, but she could see in his eyes, that looked at her widely, that like Charles said, he looked shocked.
She shook her head, glancing at her friends, who were snickering behind her, her eyes widening slightly whens he saw the smirks Seb and Kimi had on their faces, giving them a playful glare before turning back to Toto and made her way towards him.
"I knew you had something up your sleeve for this weekend," the Austrian said when she stopped in front of him. "You really are a tease."
"I hope you thought I was a tease when I was driving the car," she said as she put her hands behind her back, tugging the sleeves of the racing suit off her arms, letting the top half hanging over her hips, " cause that's where I can be a real tease."
"Oh you were," he chuckled, shaking his head, "especially after managing to break Lewis's qualifying lap record on here." He watched her become vulnerable for a moment at the mention of the record she now holds, her cheeks becoming red as she grinned at him, "I didn't know you could drive that fast."
"There's a lot that you don't know about me, Torger," she said, shrugging her shoulders, "but honestly, the car is a breeze to drive, it is still one of the fastest cars I've ever driven. I don't know how I managed to pull that lap out."
"You pushed the limit," he quickly replied, "you knew how to push the limit and you did, with no mistake done, especially in the first chicane which we both know how easy drivers get caught in that."
"Oh I know," she laughed, "2021 rings quite a bell."
"Of course you'll mention that one," he scoffed, shaking his head,, "good laps Ale. But this better won't get into your head, or you're gonna get a reality check this weekend."
"It wouldn't be a normal weekend if you didn't warn me about your reality checks," she said, rolling her eyes, "Monza is the temple of speed, and I cannot wait for the challenge." The two shared a challenging look for one more moment, determined smirks on their lips as they promised that they're going to give each other another battle.
ººº
Alessandra was sat down next to Charles against the pit wall, sharing a set of airpods as they listened to the music playing, getting into the mindset for the race as the teams made sure that the cars were ready for the race as they checked every single thing whilst they worked on the grid. She looked at the car in front of her, sat in the first grid position after Charles securing one of the most beautiful qualifying laps of his career which got him pole yesterday. Carlos's car was parked by his side at P2, with Max and Lewis taking the second row.
Monza was the race that in every stage of her life, got her excited, but also got her nervous. She could never forget every time she was in the garage year in year out, whether she was still a kid, or learning about engineering for her degree, or when she was the engineer who worked on the car that was sat on the grid. She would be a nervous wreck, her heart beating way faster than it's supposed to, her hands clammy, but there was a fire in the pit of her stomach, a fire burning off her excitement. She loved the track, adored the atmosphere, and everything in between. Even as she sat there, next to her pole sitter, minutes away from the start of the race, with the nerves slowly eating her alive as Charles and the team had the chance of taking the lead in the championship once more, she would not trade it for anything.
When Andrea stood in front of them, letting them know that the National anthem parade was about to start, Charles stood up first, then stretched his hand in front of Alessandra, which she took, letting him pull her back up on her feet. They made their way to their spots for the anthem, her and the Ferrari drivers standing in the middle of the set up. She glanced back, finding her biggest rival of the season standing next to her other rival.
Their eyes locked once more, the fire in the pit of her stomach burning again when she saw the smirk he had on his face, and she returned it before looking up when the aircrafts flew them, the colours of the Italian flag displayed with the smoke, the sight making her smile. She winked at Toto once more before looking away, singing her national anthem with pride and honour before wishing her drivers good luck and went into the garage.
She couldn't help the wide grin on her face when she saw Sebastian and Kimi standing in the area behind her chair, wishing her good luck when she came over to hug them. She greeted the other guests who were watching the race from her garage, being pulled in a tight hug by her parents and Lapo Elkann before she sat down in her chair next to Mick.
"You ready?" The German asked as he handed her the headset.
"Always," she said, giving him a small smile as she put them over her head, averting her attention to the screen when she saw the cars starting their formation lap.
Alessandra covered her face with her hands when she felt the tears threatening to leave her eyes, a lump forming in her throat which she forcefully swallowed back, listening to Charles scream on his radio which mixed with the loud cheering in her garage.
"Charles Leclerc you are once again a winner at the Temple of Speed!" Alessandra shouted when she pressed Charles's radio button, "You've gotten the championship lead once again! You've driven one of the most beautiful drives I've ever watched!"
"We've gotten both home wins Ale!" Charles exclaimed, "The whole race was perfect, the team executed the race beautifully. This is our hard work proven to be all worth it!"
"Enjoy it, Charles," she replied, "I'll see you very soon."
When she took off her headphones, she turned around, finding her parents and friends cheering the team on, and Sebastian walked towards her, pulling her into a tight hug. "You did so well, Ale," the older German whispered, "I'm so glad I witnessed your work live!"
"Thank you so much for being here," she told him, then glanced at Kimi when they pulled away, stepping into the Finnish's arms, "you too, Kimi. Would you two like to come to Parc Ferme with me?"
"We wouldn't want anything more," Kimi replied, giving her a quick kiss on her forehead before letting her go. She went and hugged her parents and Lap, who were continuously congratulating her on the good work before Mick pushed Alessandra, Seb and Kimi out of the garage and towards the barriers at Parc Ferme.
Alessandra watched the top 3 finishers pull up at Parc Ferme, her smile wide when she watched Carlos, who parked his car in the P2 spot get out of the car first. He jogged towards Alessandra and the team who were cheering loudly for him as he went and pulled her in a hug.
"That was a phenomenal drive from you Carlitos!" She exclaimed, patting hard on his helmet in glee, "I'm so proud of you!"
"Car was absolutely perfect, and God it feels amazing to get a podium in Monza," he beamed, looking at his team principal and friend through the visor, "we're celebrating hard tonight!"
"Oh yes we are!" She replied, giving him one last squeeze before letting him continue celebrate with the rest of the team. She then watched Max exit his car, making his way towards his team. He turned his head after removing his helmet, spotting his rival team principal and friend. He gave her a wave, which she returned with a smile and thumbs up, mouthing a well done to him.
"CHARLES LECLERC!" Alessandra shouted after she watched him celebrate on top of the car before he came running towards her, tackling her in a hug so tight he almost pulled her over the barrier. "God, you almost got me bursting into tears in the middle of the garage!"
"That would been a sight I would have paid good money to witness," he laughed, "I hope you're coming on the podium with us! We wouldn't have done this without you!"
And that's what she did. She stood on the podium with her drivers and friends, tears threatening to leave her eyes once more when she saw her family, the two drivers she called uncle ever since she could remember, all smiling up at her, showing how proud they were of her and the team. The Italian national anthem sent shivers down her spine as she sang it once more that day, and then she grabbed her own champagne bottle, and the four friends on the podium showered each other.
The Ferrari clan and Max drove back to Milan, headed back to their hotels and rested up after planning on meeting at the club in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele to celebrate the amazing weekend Ferrari had, and Max was content with sharing the podium with Alessandra once more, so he was quick to join on the planning.
Alessandra needed some time to herself, promising the guys that she would meet them at the club. She got ready in her own time, blowdrying her hair and slipped on a black mini dress, pair of black and red sneakers, and finished off with a diamond necklace. She grabbed her phone after sliding the room card inside its case, reading the texts the group were sending her as she made her way out, realising that they were already tipsy from the way they were talking to her.
The moment Alessandra entered the club, she was dragged to the middle of the dance floor, between her friends and team members who were also celebrating an amazing win. Max pushed two shots into her hands, motioning for her to drink them, almost basically pushing the liquid down her throat. The hours went by in a flash, and drinks went down quite as fast. She was carefree, she was living in the moment, she was surrounded by her best friends, attempting to do the weirdest dance moves in the middle of the dance floor, which almost caused them, and the team members around them, to fall on the ground.
At around 2:30 in the morning, after a few rounds of drunk karaoke which Alessandro suggested and managed to make happen a bit after midnight, Alessandra managed to slur out to her friends that she was heading out to get some air. She pushed through the sweaty bodies coated with the smell of alcohol, spotting a champagne bottle, grabbing it before leaving the bar.
She walked through the empty Galleria Vittorio Emanuele III, her footsteps echoing against the walls as she exited the historic building and stepped out in the square. It was bare, not a person in sight, apart from the busker who was hidden somewhere in the square playing the violin, his music being the only noise echoing through the square. Her body moved lazily with the music, not caring what the song was, but her mind was still in a haze, controlling her movements as she twirled around right in the middle, in front of the duomo, not a single care in the world, just happiness.
After the debrief of the mediocre race his team had, Toto went to Milan to spend a night or two there before heading back to Brackley. He was glad that the triple header was over, it was always tiring, and coming back with no wins from the three races was disappointing. He didn't want to think about the last few races, he'll leave that for when he goes back to Brackley, but until he's in Milan, he was going to try and be a tourist and enjoy the Italian city.
He did spend the majority of the evening in his hotel room, taking time to unwind, call his children and just enjoy some alone time without any hassle or chaos from the sport. But when he tried to fall asleep, his body was wide awake, and did not let him get some shut eye for one second. When he checked the time on his phone after spending a long while tossing and turning in his bed, he saw that it was 1:30 in the morning. He knew he wasn't going to fall asleep anytime soon, so he decided to take a stroll around the city, enjoy the peace and quiet, and the possibility that he'd get tired of walking around and fall asleep when he gets back. He exchanged his shorts and t-shirt for a black button up and dark pants, leaving a couple of top buttons undone and sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He slid on a pair of shoes, grabbed his stuff and left the hotel.
Something about walking through streets in sheer peace and quiet, only the sound of his breathing, almost able to heart his heart beat, was calming for Toto. These were the moments where he enjoyed being alone, especially after barely catching a breathe for the last three weeks. Plus, he got to admire his surroundings in a different atmosphere, he appreciate those moments.
He didn't know how long he was walking, but he didn't care. He walked past the Scala when he entered the Galleria, lights shining over the floor tiles in the beautiful design and the interior architecture of the historic building. He glanced at the Ferrari store, shaking his head in a chuckle when his mind quickly went to Alessandra, and the pictures he saw online of her and the drivers modelling new pieces of the brand's collection. He continued walking, hands tucked in the pocket of his pants as he glanced around the closed stores and restaurants, but then looked up when he heard the faint sound of music playing, spotting a few people on the balconies that overlooked the stores, drinks in their hands.
When he exited the Galleria, the cool air hit his skin as he glanced around the large square, the duomo lit up with dim lights, but his eyes fell on the figure standing in the middle of the square, moving gently side by side with a bottle of champagne in her hand. At first he thought what was she moving to, but when he moved closer, he could faintly hear the melody of a violin playing somewhere close by. He couldn't see her face, only had a view of her back, but something in his head told him that he knew who that was.
"Alessandra?" The all too familiar voice of the Austrian brought the Italian team principal out of the zone she was in, turning around so fast she almost got whiplash, her eyes widening slightly when they fell on his 6 foot 5" physique, illuminated by the spotlights from the Galleria, looking handsome as hell dressed in all black. "What are you doing out here?"
"Needed some air," she said, her voice slightly slurring as she glanced down at the watch on her wrist, squinting her eyes slightly to read the time before looking back up at him, "it's 2:40 in the morning, do you have a thing for walking around places at ungodly hours?"
"Seems like it," he shrugged, taking another step closer, "what about you, always needing some air when partying?"
"When you spend hours on end surrounded by sweaty bodies with booze pumping through your system like it's your blood," she started, "you'll need some air after it."
He quirked an eyebrow when he watched her remove the piece of foil covering the cork, extending her arms as she pushed the cork up, bouncing slightly when it flew up in the air. He chuckled when she quickly put the bottle between her lips when foam trickled down the bottle, taking a large swig of the bubbly. She motioned the bottle towards him, which he looked at for a moment, before grabbing the neck of the bottle, his hand making contact with her, which sent an electrifying buzz through his nerve as he gazed into her eyes, the blue hues big and bright.
He watched her when she slowly walked away from him, taking in her appearance, the black dress tight around her figure, stopping right in the middle of her thighs, giving her long legs a good view. He followed closely behind her, and the two sat down at the steps of the duomo, taking a swig of the champagne himself before handing her the bottle. His eyes widened slightly when she leaned back, resting on her elbows as she looked up revealing the deep v-neck cut of her dress, exposing the swell of her breasts which he tried averting his gaze from. She looked almost godly as the lights hit her skin, which was shining slightly, shaking the hair off her face before taking another god sip from the champagne bottle.
"When this triple header ends," Toto started, which got Alessandra to glance up at him, "this where you realise that the season is starting to finish."
"We've made it through a good number of races," she nodded as she passed the bottle, "but now we're heading to places where it's going to take a toll on us travelling wise, and especially Singapore which will basically dehydrate us."
"Singapore's always tough," he said as he looked down at her, "I think it will be easier for you this year, you know, not having to work on the car."
"Probably," she shrugged, "but I go through the same training regime as Charles to prepare for that weekend."
"I've heard Lewis and George talk about training for Singapore," he said, "that's a brutal workout, no?"
"It is," she replied, giving him a lazy smile, "I'm honestly not looking forward to it. But it's always helped me."
"Speaking of Charles, you've tied him to the team for another 5 years," he started, which got Alessandra quirking an eyebrow at him, curious to know where he's going with this, "Carlos's contract expires this year, is he staying, or leaving?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" She scoffed, rolling her eyes as the two let out a laugh, "and what about Lewis? He's not renewed his contract yet, has he?"
"All will be revealed in due time," he answered, "silly season is quite an experience when you're a team principal."
"Oh I've heard," she chuckled, "and I don't know if I should be excited or not."
"Depends if it all goes in your favour," he shrugged.
"No shit, Sherlock," she shot back, rolling her eyes at him once more.
The two then sat in silence, listening to the violin that was still playing as they continued to pass the champagne bottle. They sat close, arms almost touching as Toto rested one of his hands behind her. She was tempted to lean her head on his shoulder when she started to feel slightly tired, but decided against it, not trusting herself as she knew that alcohol was still in control of her system.
Her head shot up when she heard the familiar tune of one of her favourite songs growing up, which quickly got her up on her feet. She turned to Toto, who looked at her in amusement as he watched her smile brighten and eyes widen slightly.
"Come on," she said, motioning with her hand for him to stand up, "since my team won Monza, and I broke the track record, I deserve a dance?"
"And who said you deserve a dance for that?" He asked as he stood up, looking down at her with a cocked eyebrow.
"Me," she grinned, grabbing his hand with her free one and pulled him to the middle of the square.
She took one more sip of the champagne, almost choking on it when she felt his hand snake around her lower back, pushing her slightly closer towards him. She put the hand that was holding the bottle behind his shoulder, the other hand still in his as they moved to Sarà Perché Ti Amo.
Toto couldn't keep his eyes off her as he listened to her sing the lyrics softly as they moved together, their bodies barely an inch apart. The sound of her giggles echoing in the night when he twirled her around was a sound he couldn't get enough of, so he did twirl her around a few more times. His breathe hitched in his throat when she rested her head on his chest, still moving side to side, to a song so romantic, he didn't know how to act. So he didn't say anything, just rested his chin on her head as they danced the night away, not knowing when they'll be this close again anytime soon, and he didn't want to waste any minute of it.