Trust In Talent - Somi X Reader

Chapter 15

Y/N POV

Ever since Somi asked me out, I couldn't keep my focus. I mean not everyday that I get asked out by a girl as pretty as her. Luckily, I wasn't part of the qualifying lineup so that eliminated my chance of putting the car into the gravel while thinking about Somi on my qualifying lap. My teammates Roman De Angelis and Iam James were in charge of the qualifying laps. They managed to put the car in 5th for our GTD class and 29th overall. It wasn't really bad given that we'll start in the middle of the field and 5th on our class gives us a really good chance to fight for the podium for the GTD class. After qualifying we went to the briefing with the team to discuss the strategy for the upcoming 24 hour race.

Mike: Right guys, good job. We're 29th overall on the grid but we're 5th in our class. Somehow the LMP3 car is in 27th but that doesn't matter. We'll focus on our jobs ahead.

Y/N: So who's going to be starting?

Mike: Good question Y/N. We'll be dividing the race into 8 stints of 3 hours each. Since you aren't used to the car you won't be starting the race. Roman De Angelis can start the race if he's ok with it.

Roman De Angelis: Yep, I'm ok with it.

Mike: Then the second stint will be Y/N. He could get used to the car when it's bright and the field is spread out. Ross Gunn will take the third shift while Ian James will take the midnight stint and then we'll reverse the cycle so Ian James will do two consecutive stints. Is that alright?

We all agreed to the line up and went back into the garage to prepare for the start. Since Roman De Angelis is going to be starting the race, he made sure the car was set to how he likes. I just stood aside and watched the process go on. It was my first taste of endurance racing. Many possibilities are up at stake here. It could be the first to many or it could be a gateway to Formula 1. I mean Lando Norris did Daytona 24 hours a few years ago and he is now a Formula 1 driver. I was extremely nervous about this race and it also didn't help knowing how much was at stake here for this race.

As Roman De Angelis came into the pits to end his stint. I got ready to be strapped into the car. This was it, my first stint and my first ever experience in endurance racing. All I had to do this stint was hold my position and just keep the car on the track. I took a few laps to get used to the car as it was so much different compared to a Formula 2 car because of the seating position. At the end of my first stint, we remained in 5th in our class. I came in and let Ross Gunn get into the car.

The 24 hour race was really making me tired. As the team and Iam James prepared for the midnight stint. I was inside the hospitality area sleeping. I have never experienced a race that went through midnight so I am not used to being awake and racing during the midnight. Thankfully Ian James took the midnight stints which means I could get some rest. It wasn't really a comfortable sleep as I was only sleeping on the sofa of the hospitality area. Therefore, as I woke up at dawn, I was still a bit tired and loopy.

We were currently running in 4th in our class and 26th overall after the midnight stint. With fatigue playing a big part of the race at this moment. The race to the chequered flag is crucial as Ross Gunn stepped into the car for the next stint. Managing to keep the car in 4th out of all the GTD cars, he finished his stint and as I was getting ready, Mike stopped me.

Mike: Y/N, we've decided to switch. We'll let Roman De Angelis take the penultimate stint to get the laps in and then you can have a burst to the finish. Cause your lap times are much quicker from the second stint. We really could push for a podium here if we play our cards correctly

With this swap, I sat back down in the garage letting Roman De Angelis take the penultimate stint. This might have been the correct choice for the team as my lap times are the quickest out of the 4 drivers, but I was still new so it was a gamble. Finally after a few hours, Roman De Angelis pulled into the pits. Quick dash of fuel and a driver chance, I got into the car and set off for the final 4 hours of the race.

The first two hours was alright, I was putting in consistent lap times which means I was slowly but steadily catching to the car in front. However, with me being quicker, the tyres are degrading. I was losing grip towards the final hours of the race. I am not sure if I could continue on at this pace or not.

Y/N: Guys, I think we need some new tyres.

Mike: Ok, Y/N how are the tyres?

Y/N: I'm losing a lot of grip.

Mike: Yep we can see that on the data, we'll box for new tyres. Pit confirm please Y/N.

Coming into the pits, this needs to be a perfect pitstop. I will be staying in the car for the final hour of the race. But with fresh tyres I will be able to push for much better lap times. This is the biggest gamble that I have ever took in a race. As we exited the pits we were down into 4th and a lap down to the car in 3rd.

Mike: Y/N, push now. All the way to the end. One lap down to the car in 3rd. You can do this.

Getting the green light, I pushed like hell. It was probably one of the best drives of my career so far. It was really enjoyable being told to drive as fast as I could without caring about tyres. With fresher tyres than anybody in the race. I quickly unlapped myself and caught up to the car in 3rd. With the clock hitting zero, I have one last lap to make the overtake. This was it, with much fresher tyres, I could see the car in third struggling on every exit of corners. I had a look heading turn 5 but the door was slammed shut. However, managing to get a much better exit out of the bus stop, I tucked into the slipstream of the car in front. With slower cars helping me, I saw my chance and went on the high line to take the position. As I came across the line, I looked onto my driver dash, it says P3. I have done it, the pitstop gamble has worked. A lot was going through my mind right now. It was one of the best drives of my career and even though this isn't LMP1 and it's not a win in the GTD class, it was still a podium, to do it on my first try at Daytona and my first ever endurance racing, it feels like I have achieved something. Lot of things are going through my mind right now, but there are two things that I can't get out of my head and it was sleep and Somi. As I get out of the car, I celebrated with the team with Somi still in my mind. Looking forward to the date with Somi really soon.

A bit of a boring chapter. Just the race to see but I promise the next chapter will be interesting. I know I have got a lot of the endurance race terms wrong so if you could correct me that would be really helpful.

Thank you very much for 700 reads. All of your support have been appreciated and every one of you readers means a lot to me. I wasn't supposed to upload this chapter today as I was in so much pain but seeing my book hit 700 reads, I just had to do it. So please enjoy the chapter.

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