Next day I got up early thanks for the jetlag.
I decided on having a nice bath before going down to the restaurant to have breakfast. I slept like a baby all night so I felt refreshed and excited.
That day was the race, and that also meant it was customary to dress up nicely. I put on a colorful long skirt and a black top with heels and sunglasses. The weather was nice and sunny just like yesterday.
While I was in the bath I was reading about yesterday’s qualifying session so there was a chance I would understand what is happening on the grid. Most importantly Max was on pole, but he was closely followed by Leclerc then Vettel. The mercedes cars were fourth and fifth and then came Daniel on the sixth place. The team had high hopes for both cars - but I guess that was the case at every race.
The restaurant was already half full of people eating breakfast. I saw Max sitting with his trainer Jake who I've met the other day so I decided to join them.
"Morning guys," I greeted them and they moved their things on the table to make some room for my plate.
"Hey Clara" Max was cheerful and looked well rested. "Did you sleep well?" He asked and had a sip of his orange juice.
"Yes, thanks for the room again" I smiled at him. They were nearly ready to go, but decided to wait for me a little so i didn’t have to eat alone. The two guys began to talk about the warm up session waiting for Max before the race. While eating my eyes began to wander around the room.
Two tables away from us were sitting Daniel with his trainer Michael. God, those two guys looked like models on a photoshoot. They both wore the red bull uniform and were talking quietly while eating and browsing on their phones. Dan had a gentle smile on his face and at once he's found something interesting because he bit his lower lip and showed something to Michael - both of them laughed out loudly.
Max probably realised I’m watching them because he turned to me asking "Hey you know what?"
I looked at him questioningly.
"Last night Dan asked me if we were together" he grinned.
I frowned. "What would make him think that?"
"I dunno" Max shrugged. "Maybe because people saw us together yesterday in the paddock and also at the dinner."
I still didn’t understand. "OK, but there were like fifty other people around!" I said offended but he smirked at me.
"Oh well I think the extra reasons are that I don’t have an official girlfriend and you are a beautiful and mysterious young lady who happens to be around" he grinned and I instantly felt the blush on my face.
"Well, thanks Max," I got embarrassed so I started to scratch my neck. I could never take compliments. Not that I got a lot lately and my ex was everything but a romantic type so he has nearly never said anything like that to me.
"Anyways, I told him that we’ve met in London but only spent a night together" he said grinning like a fool.
"MAX!" I was louder than expected in the quiet cafeteria and a couple of heads turned towards us. Including Daniel’s.
"Hahaha, sorry I couldn’t miss this chance! And it's all true" he laughed.
"Fuck you," I coursed but laughed anyways. That should’ve been the highlight of his morning and I've finished eating anyway so we got our stuff and left the restaurant.
It was about time to go. It was still early - around 11 am - but most of the people were already at the circuit making preparations for the race.
Max’s staff was bigger to fill one car so no extra seat was left for me so I took another car to the paddock. On the way I admired the view of the skyscrapers in the middle of the desert and thinking about how great it was for these guys to travel around the world from weekend to weekend and get to see these incredible places.
We arrived to the paddock and I already knew the way to the Red Bull Energy Station. I had another coffee and hung around saying hi-s to a couple of staff members I’ve met yesterday at the dinner. Max’s PA Vicky also greeted me with a huge smile.
"Hi Clara," she said and lowered her mobile which she always had in her hand. "So today the after party starts at 11. Everybody will be there and it’s a blast so be sure you won’t miss it, OK?" She asked me with a serious face and it looked like she would never take no as an answer. Good thing I planned on going anyway. Everybody told me these parties are always fun to attend.
"Fine, thanks. I’ll be there I guess,” I replied and drank the rest of my americano.
"Super, now I'm sorry but I have to rush. But meet you after the race stars? We can watch it together," she proposed and I was so surprised at the kind proposition so I just smiled and nodded like a lunatic.
"Awesome, I gotta run now, see you!" she waved goodbye and hurried away.
I didn’t want to bother them in the preparations but also didn’t feel the urge to take hundreds of instagrammable photos posing with the cars and the drivers like dozens of girls did around the paddock, so I went out take a walk. There was an extreme bike show just outside the building sponsored by Red Bull which I watched for a while but when I catched myself evaluating the possible bone fractures and head traumas one would get after each stunt I decided it was time to move on.
The next building was the McLaren Hospitality with its papaya colour. They had loud music roaming all over the place which made me smile. They seemed always so funny in the videos and looked like they managed to work as a team really good. Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris were both young and aspiring pilots who had great chemistry together - it also made their team the most likeable for many.
I passed and then suddenly everything changed to red. The building, the people, the balloons even the freakin’ dustbins were red. My eyes hurt - that meant the italians and of course Ferrari. They had a great outside seating area where a couple of men were having breakfast, others were just chatting loudly in italian or in english with a terrible accent.
As I got closer on the way some mechanics passed me and one of them whistled and turned after me. I scoffed and decided on being offended when I also heard them say ‘Ciao Bella!’ to another girl as well. I didn’t like this macho attitude towards me, nor generally towards women. So I just threw at them an insulted look, but when I turned back to continue my walk my eyes suddenly met Charles Leclerc’s.
He was also sitting outside with a bunch of guys, maybe his engineers. One was talking to him with big gestures, but he didn’t pay any attention to him. He was looking at me while - fuck - he didn’t even blink. It felt so awkward and his look was so intimidating I suddenly felt naked. He narrowed his eyes and visibly clenched his jaw. I felt my stomach twist unpleasantly so I tore my eyes away crossed my arms tightly on my chest and forced myself to carry on my walk. After a bit I cautiously turned my head back and he was still looking at me. What the heck is his problem?
I’ve heard so much about him. I’ve read the news and saw the pictures. The young titan who launched in his first year at Ferrari like a skyrocket and had better results than his well seasoned multiple world champion teammate Sebastian Vettel. The press loved him. He was young, good looking, polite and mysterious enough to talk about. Plus he drove his heart out for the Tifosi in Monza last year. The italian fan base meant like 10 million people, so he was made a living legend in Italy. Young girls also adored him, even my instagram thread appeared to be full of his smiling pictures. It doesn’t help that according to the tabloid he just broke up with his long term girlfriend.
As I've reached the end of the paddock I managed to find another way back so I didn’t have to walk by the Ferrari Home again. I've just reached the Energy Station when I met Vicky again.
"Hello Vicky," I greeted her. She waved to me to follow her inside.
"I was just looking for you. Lurking around, ha?" She smirked. It was an innocent question but after the strange encounter with Leclerc I really felt that I was at the forbidden place before.
"No, I just took a walk, I didn’t want to bother you in the preparation" I mumbled.
"Don’t be kidding. Max asked me to find you. He said he called you but you didn’t answer your phone," she said.
"No way it’s right here in my pocket" I said while reached for my phone. True, Max called me two times already, and I didn’t hear it because it was on silent mode.
"Never mind, come with me," she said. I followed her to the restricted corridor with the drivers personal rooms. We nearly bumped into Daniel, like physically. He was already in his racing gear and flashed a great smile looking at us.
"Hey ladies," he nodded "what are you up to?" he asked curiously.
"Not now Dani" Vicky waved him away. I looked at him apologetically, as Vicky pushed me in his teammate's room. Max was in there with his trainer Jake and he looked panicked.
"Fuck Clara, thank god you're here. I called you," he said.
"What’s the matter?" I looked at him. He was nervous but otherwise looked healthy.
"I'm freaking out. I feel my chest heavy. What if it starts again?" he asked, "What if the stress or anything makes it worse?"
‘"Okay, first of all that’s not very likely,’ I smiled at him trying to calm his nerves, "But if you want to go hundred percent, then use your ventolin inhaler twice just before the race" I said. He stood up and went to his bag looking for the inhaler. He found it and used it twice as I said.
"It’s now. Before the race is now," he said. He took a couple of deep breaths and looked at me a little bit more relaxed than before.
"Thanks Clara. With this illness I feel so vulnerable. I was always so sure I'm invulnerable. I’ve never felt like this before," he looked so sad I felt sorry for him.
"Max, it's a condition which we can held stable and asymptomatic with the right medications. You're young and tough".
"And luckily I have you around," he cheered up a bit on the thought.
‘"Yes, lucky you" I laughed as he hugged me. I hugged him back and looked up at him "Now, go and win a race for us, ok?"
"Yes, doctor" he nodded and hurried out of the room, with us following.
"Thanks Clara" Jake stepped beside me. He was so tall and generally big that I felt tiny next to his frame.
"You helped a lot to him and he’s so grateful for you. He trusts you and he doesn’t trust a lot of people," he looked serious but his look was gentle. He squeezed my shoulder and guided me outside.
"You can be with us until the start," he said and pointed to the grid. I saw the crowd gathering around the cars, I didn’t even see Max or his car behind the mess of mechanics, engineers, trainers and journalists. I followed Jake to the front. Max jumped already in his car, relaxing and zooming out. He held up his thumb as he saw me stepping next to his car.
I smiled but started to feel nervous for him. I really hoped he will win the race. He looked so motivated and wanted to be world champion more than anything. I took a look around us. After the red bull car were the two mercedes, surrounded by dozens of mechanics. Hamilton and Bottas were both in their cars waiting patiently.
Next to us just a few meters behind, the ferrari car was still empty. It was waiting for the young monegasque. I just started wondering where could he be when I noticed him. He was sitting by the pitwall on is own holding a red umbrella in one hand and his water flask in the other. He was sipping liquid out of his flask and gazing the asphalt. What on earth are these drivers drinking all the time before races? Is it some isotonic drink or just water? I bet Lando drinks milk and Raikönnen has vodka.
And at that very one moment his greenish eyes found me again. He seemed curious, and this time I didn’t turn away. We watched each other for a few seconds, then he got up and started walking. My heart jumped as I thought he’s going to come over to me but he went on to sit in his car. Silly me. Before taking on his helmet he looked at Max’s car last time. If looks could kill I wouldn’t have to bother with Max’s health anymore.
It was time, so his staff said good luck to Max, mechanics were patting his helmet, I waved, Jake made a fistbump and we headed off the grid. In a minute the engines started buzzing and the lamps went out as the show started.