Leah has been battling with her cousin for months now for a spot in F1. She wanted to be the first female driver on the grid. It was all men.
Leah had dreamed of it since she was little. She'd wanted it so badly, she wanted to please her father 'cause that is all he'd ever wanted for her. Until her dad died from cancer when she was eleven.
Then it was just her dream to fulfil for her father. To be the first. Leah had tried to run from her mother and her past, but in F2 she couldn't. Her cousin was always there reminding her that she was a Gatlin, not Guessey. Guessey was a name that Leah and her friend Cassidy had thought of for her public name.
Mercedes had reached out to Leah about a possible position if she finished her last F2 race with a win. They knew she had potential, but they needed to see it. Leah knew that too. She only hoped that her cousin wouldn't do anything crazy to sabotage her chance.
Leah and her cousin Gabby were usually pinned against each other. Mercedes was going for Gabby for the first F1 female driver as well and Gabby wanted it. She wanted it for fame though, she was naturally talented. Leah has worked hard her whole life to be where she is today. She had many sponsorships to get her to F2.
Gabby's parents were rich from serval lawsuits that they had won as she grew up. She'd been raised with a privilege that most didn't have. It put her a step above Leah already. F1 wasn't a poor sport, but Leah had come too far to go back now. Currenly before the race Leah and Gabby had an interview together.
"So girls we have to ask if it's just in your blood or a diet? How do you get this good at such a young age of twenty," Amanda asked. She was the interviewer for Sky Sports.
"Well Amanda, it's in our blood as you can tell," Gabby laughed. Leah smiled and looked out at the cameras. Amanda paused waiting for a legit answer from Leah.
"I would say mindset, I mean it helps that we have elders that have gone through this and can tell us kind of what to look out for and guide us, but it takes some hard work to get to where we are now," Leah answered. Amanda smiled.
"Nah, I like my answer better, I mean we are cousins after all and we're both unstoppable," Gabby laughed and shoved Leah a little.
"How many wins do you each have?" Amanda asked.
"I have thirteen," Gabby smiled proudly.
"I have twelve," Leah added seeing her cousin smile down at her. Gabby was only a few inches taller.
"It's close enough Cuz," Gabby smiled.
She put her arm around Leah's shoulders. Leah didn't like her cousin one bit, she wasn't a good person and people didn't see it. Only she did.
"So Gabby, do you think that your wins make you the better option for F1?" Amanda asked.
Leah looked to the side at Cassidy. Cassidy has been her manager ever since she was seventeen. Cassidy had wanted to help Leah get away from her mother and her family. The pair knew about family troubles and always helped one another.
"I would say so yes, I mean I have a lot more competitive drive. Leah is too nice for all those men in F1," Gabby laughed. Cassidy signaled to Amanda to wrap it up.
"And Leah what do you think?" Amanda asked.
"Oh um," Leah played with the ring her father gave her. "I think that yeah, Gabby is of course an amazing driver and I mean who wouldn't want her to be a part of their team? Like I said before I think it's just about the mindset that people put forward. Do they have what it takes to succeed against, the men," Leah answered. Amanda gave her a proud nod.
"So does that mean you would choose Gabby?"
"I think the race this evening will decide that," Leah added winking at the camera.
Leah was good with the press and with her fans. Everyone loved her because of her soft tone and ideas. She wasn't a hothead like Gabby.
"Well that wraps it up for now, ladies, we will talk with you after the races," Amanda nodded. Leah stood up walking back over to Cassidy.
"You did great. Lewis is in the paddock waiting for you," Cassidy explained. She nodded and walked after her.
"Leah!" Gabby ran after her. "Hey, what was up with that interview am I right?" She laughed a little.
"I would stay and chat, but I have to get to my paddock, Gabby," Leah walked away from her, but Gabby followed. Leah walked in and shook Lewis' hand.
"It is a pleasure to have you here," Leah smiled.
"Pleasure is all mine," Lewis said. "I saw your interview, you're very skilled with the press." Leah nodded and scratched the back of her neck.
"Yeah, I try," She smiled.
"Hello, My name is Gabby Gatlin," Her cousin stepped forward. Lewis hesitated but shook her hand.
"Yes, Gabby, I've heard of you as well," Lewis smiled at her.
"Are you going to visit my paddock as well, I hear Toto is there himself waiting for me?" Gabby glanced at Leah trying to rub it in. Gabby thought for sure that she had this race in the bag. She considered herself a part of F1 already.
"He is," Lewis nodded and gave Leah another smile.
"Wonderful," Gabby knocked her shoulder with Leah's. "See you on the podiums." She patted her shoulder and left for her paddock.
"Sorry about that, she likes to make herself known," Leah sighed.
"Leah, we need you to get your gear on," Cassidy announced. Leah nodded.
"See you after the race," She smiled and walked off. Lewis watched the girl disappear.
"Do you think we are making the right decision?" His manager asked. Lewis nodded.
"Yeah, she is definitely the right pick. We just need her to win this race though, or else Toto will never let us bring her name up again," He crossed his arms and stepped back as the paddock came alive getting ready to start the race.
They loaded her up and she got out there as they lined up. Gabby was P1 and Leah was P2. She was going to win, for her dad. She kissed her fingers and lifted them in the air. The tribute she did to her father every race.
They watched the lights go and they were off. She let Gabby take the front even though Gabby immediately clipped her tires.
"What the hell is she doing?" Leah groaned.
She was almost shoved off the track. They started their laps. It was good weather and a good track. It was going to be a good race. She was holding second well and Gabby wasn't too far ahead of her.
40 laps in.
13 more to go
"Box, box, box," Leah's engineer, John, radioed.
"Copy," Leah came into the pit lane.
"Looks like Leah Guessey is pitting right now while Gatlin stays out there on her soft tyres. Do we think that was a smart choice?"
Leah drove back out. She had to catch back up to Gabby. Leah currently had the fastest lap time so she was good with points, she just needed to take position.
"Do you think she will be able to pull it off?" A mechanic muttered.
"She will," Cassidy chimed in. "Leah is extremely talented."
"Is she singing to herself?" Lewis asked.
"Is that? Is that Leah Guesseys' radio!?"
"There is, a house, in New Orleans, they call it, the rising sun, it's been a ruin of many years forward, in god I knew I won," She pushed her DRS and went to take the outer lane trying to overtake on the straight.
"Leah Guessey is going for the overtake! But she's blocked! Oh no! Will she be able to make it!"
"Leah Guessey switches to the inside now, going around Gabby Gatlin with ease, she is coming up on the last lap."
Gabby's radio played. It was completely bleeped out. Leah continued to hum to herself as she kept the lead for the final lap coming around the last corner she felt contact with her rear tyres from Gabby's car.
"Leah, you've got contact, Gabby's coming up on your left," John informed.
"Is she trying to run me off the fucking track?" Leah muttered to herself as she took off quickly.
"Leah, she is going to try and ram you off," John said.
"Thank you," She kept going as she felt her car jerk to the side.
"Seems like there is a lot on the line for this family!"
Gabby was wheel and wheel with Leah. Gabby was getting ready to hit her off the track, but Leah slowed a bit so Gabby clipped her back tyres sending her car off and into the barriers as Leah crossed the line.
"Leah Guessey takes the win!"
Lewis was smiling at the screen. A woman in the corner of Leah's paddock was shaking her head, dissapointedly. He recognized her. Leah's mother, Kathleen. He walked over and shook her hand.
"Excited to work with you in the future," He nodded.
"She normally drives better than this," She scoffed and shook her head.
On the monitor, Leah was standing in front of her car with her arms in the air. Her team came up to hug her. She did it. She's in F1. She fucking did it. She took off her helmet and her mask. She almost started crying as she kissed her fingers and put them over her chest.
"I did it," She breathed.
She waved at the cameras and held up one finger allowing the cameras to snap a few photos. She walked into the interviewing station and realized that her cousin was a DNF. Leah ignored the guilt in her chest and saw Amanda waiting.
"Leah, how do you feel?" The woman asked.
"Honestly Amanda, I feel like I'm on top of the world," She ran her hands through her damp hair. "I love the adrenaline rush every race. It will never get old."
"I mean with the win and that ending, woah, you kept us all on the edge of our seats," Amanda smiled.
"Oh I know, I was nervous too, I was unsure how I was going to pull through or keep that lead, but it all worked out for the best," Leah couldn't stop smiling. She saw Lewis coming toward her. Toto slowly made his way over too, but he was more hesitant.
"You were singing," Amanda laughed.
"I was slightly bored for a bit keeping my pace, but I do have good music taste," Leah smiled at the camera.
"Congratulations Leah," One of the fellow male racers came over and gave her a quick hug before he attended his interviews.
"Thanks." She said.
"Congratulations," Lewis hugged her.
"You have much skill," Toto gave her a tight smile and she nodded.
"Thank you so much, that means a lot coming from you," She smiled. He laughed a little.
"We will be in touch Leah, welcome to Mercedes," Lewis made sure to say in front of the camera and waved at it before they disappeared.
"You heard it ladies and gentlemen Leah Guessey is going to be the first female F1 driver in history. How does that make you feel, Leah?"
"I just hope I can do all of us female drivers justice and show them what kind of competition we have to offer," She said. "This is like a dream for me, honestly, I never thought I would get to this day." Amanda leaned forward giving Leah a big hug.
"We are all so proud of your win Leah, this is going to mean big things for you in the future, your father would be proud as well," Amanda muttered.
Leah nodded and thanked her before going toward the podiums to celebrate. She was sprayed with champagne, and given the trophy, with the two other men that had places 2nd and 3rd. When she got into the paddock Gabby was waiting for her. Angrily.
"Are you fucking serious right now, we all know you didn't deserve that win, I did!" Gabby shook her head at her cousin. "You're a horrible person, Leah, for fucks sake, you know how much that would have meant to me. They didn't even want you anyway."
Gabby made sure to rub salt into Leah's wounds before she left her to her own thoughts. Leah watched her cousin storm out of her paddock, but the guilt didn't last long as Cassidy came to celebrate the win with her best friend.
*edited*