The Team // A Formula One AU

Nico

Long gone are the days when there were only five of us on track. I thought nothing could compare to the excitement of racing, but now I know the best feeling is racing against a grid full of your best friends. I can complete a lap in the tenth fastest time out of anyone here, which makes that my starting position for our final practice race before heading to Indianapolis. I close my visor and stretch my fingers one last time. This is it.

Some drivers have to train to keep calm during a race start, but that has never been my problem. The little red circles light up one by one, my heart rate calm and my breathing steady. My right foot hovers, poised for the attack. The whole world is silent for that one precious moment, and then the lights go out and twenty dirty engines burst to life.

My right foot pounces like a coiled spring and I'm the first off the line. My start is perfect, getting past Mick and Nando before the first corner. For the first time since we arrived the track is dry and that means we can do far more with our lines and there's even more opportunity to overtake. I slot in behind Charles and settle into the rhythm of the race.

The kart feels great today. My work on the brakes has really calmed down the vibrations and allows me to put even more into the corners, willing a mistake out of Charles.

No such mistake comes. Fifteen laps into the thirty lap race and I'm still stuck behind the guy, but at least Daniel has dropped off my tail. I'm going around turn five, braking late to gain something over the Monegasque, when I suddenly have to apply much more brake pressure than I would have liked.

Lewis has crashed. Everything seems alright but he just can't find a space to re-join the race, and I'm sure as hell not giving him his opportunity. I fly past him and realise I'm up into seventh place. A valiant effort so far.

Up ahead I can see Seb's distinctive white helmet and I guess he's in fourth. I grin, excited for my friend. I hope Checo has made up some places too, he didn't deserve to qualify fifteenth.

The race wears on and we soon receive the warning that we're on the final lap, and that's when my chance comes. Charles' first mistake of the race comes in the first corner and I dive past him, suddenly turning my mind into defence mode. I can't lose this now. I block him into turn three, get the better of him in turn seven and then comes the final sector.

My heart leaps to my throat as Charles pulls alongside me, trying to overtake on the outside of the final corner. I have to risk it with some extra speed. I turn the wheel as much as the forces let me and accelerate, trying to keep from going into the side of Charles' kart. I grit my teeth. Charles backs off.

I cross the finish line, sixth. That's four places gained since last week's race. I breathe out shakily, exhausted as I go for an in-lap, my final lap of this circuit. Charles pulls alongside me and gives me a thumbs up. I reach over to grip his hand. Fair and square.

I pull into the pit lane and jump out of my kart, buzzing with excitement. Sixth out of twenty is a great position to be going into the first race with. Everyone lines the karts up and a few start chatting while a few storm inside to get changed alone. I pull off my helmet.

"Nico! I came tenth!" Checo strides up to me and I hug him tightly.

"I got up to sixth," I grin, not being able to contain my excitement.

"Where's Seb?" Checo gasps, wiping the sweat off his face with a towel. We look around and notice everyone is gathering at the podium. Seb stands on the first step, jiggling with excitement.

"And now it's time to celebrate," Tom's voice comes on over the loudspeakers. I jog forward to get a better view and stand between a happy Lando and a Lewis who looks like he's about to cry.

"In third place, Sebastian Vettel!"

I whoop as my friend lifts his trophy, which as usual is just a shiny piece of scrap metal Erik found outside the garage.

"Second place, a valiant effort, it's Max Verstappen!"

I clap as Max lifts his trophy with a face like thunder. He's not happy at all about having lost first position.

"And our winner, going into the season ahead as the fastest man in Fortress World Karting, it's George Russell!"

George on the other hand couldn't be happier, but he and Max might have started a rivalry today. I clap and cheer for him as he sprays his cheap bottle of lemonade over all of us. Max saunters off to get changed and Seb hops down to join the crowd.

Nando doesn't seem too upset by having lost four places but some of the others aren't speaking at all, and others didn't even come to the podium. There's nothing better than racing, but if there's any sport where a team could feel less like a team sometimes it's this one. Everyone has splintered into small groups or gone off alone to review the race in their heads, a stark contrast to the way we were laughing and joking after the team photos earlier.

My friends laugh by my sides as we head to the main building for showers and dinner. I've loved it here these past two weeks, getting to know this crazy bunch of people. I just hope racing doesn't come between us, but at the same time I know it's the one thing which ever could.

Indianapolis 4362