ℝ𝕚𝕧𝕒𝕝𝕤 [ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕝𝕖𝕤 𝕃𝕖𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕣𝕔] ✔

Part 50

It all came down to qualifying the next day, she had barely talked to Charles or anyone else of her friends since Riccardo told her yesterday that it would be raining at the race as well meaning that she would have to put in a great qualifying if she would have a chance of points tomorrow. That also meant staying up late working on the track and go over the strategy over and over and over until she knew everything and more. 

"You're zoning out, love?" she snapped her head around to find an amused Charles starring at her as she had indeed been starring at the wall for way too long. Charles closed the door to her driver's room and sat down on the sofa besides her grabbing her hand to trace small circles on her palm. "You seem a bit tense" he said in a low voice, as she just looked at him. 

"It's nothing" she replied looking down, but Charles didn't buy that. "It doesn't seem like nothing. You can tell me" he said lifting up her head with his index finger under her chin so their eyes met. "I just don't like the rain." she finally said. "What like in general or?" Charles raised his eyebrow causing Y/n to slightly smile. "No, when we're racing."

"Why's that, my love?" he asked again gently stroking her cheek. "Because back in my F3 days I nearly killed a guy in a rainy race. I crashed into a wall and took another driver with me, and he got in a coma, and I ruined his life and career, and it's my fault and-" she was immediately interrupted by a pair of soft lips on hers. It was a gently kiss, but a longer one. Finally they pulled apart and Charles softly smiled at her. "Don't beat yourself up on that. It wasn't your fault, and some times stuff like that happen, but the important thing is that he wasn't killed, and it wasn't your fault that he crashed with you." 

"But-" "No buts, love. Don't think about it" she was a lot more calm now and took a deep breath. "You're right. Thank you babe, what would I do without you?" she smiled causing Charles to chuckle. "I don't think I wanna know that" he laughed and pulled her on her feet. "Now let's get out there and smash that qualifying" he added, and Y/n definitely felt more confident now. 

With Charles' words circling in her brain, she felt the adrenaline pump through her veins as she was on her sixth lap, and it felt like she was flying. "Purple in all sectors, Y/n. You just sat the fastest lap" Riccardo happily announced over the radio causing the female driver to smile. "Let's go boys, do I have to go for another round?" She asked as they were still just in Q2 so nothing was safe yet. 

"Negative, come back to the pits. There's only two minutes left, and you're secured for Q2" Riccardo spoke and she did as told and came back to the pits. She got some 'good job' and claps on her shoulder as she entered the garage again. The whole team were working really hard, and Y/n was happy that it was finally paying off. She managed to talk for a few moments with Charles and Peter before it was time to go back in the car for Q3. 

"Alright, we have the pace. So just do a few laps and set a good time so we can pull you back in without using the tires too much" Riccardo said and Y/n pressed the confirm button as she did an easy lap around the track. After feeling the car a bit she began her fast lap. As she had spent a lot of time on the simulator with this track, and also because she had driven it a few times before, she was very familiar with the corners. Feeling the energy from Q2 still within her, she rushed around the track. "Keep pushing Y/n, purple in the first sector, but you lost a second around turn 11." Riccardo spoke as she hit the speeder again changing gear. 

The car slightly bumbed as she drover over the apex of turn 14, and it caught her off guard for a moment feeling the car on it's way to spin around. Shit, she thought as she couldn't afford to smash the car and ruin her qualifying. She let go of her steering wheel as the car spun to the left and quickly grabbed it again pressing hard down on the speeder. She could even hear the tires as she had just drifted around the corner by a mistake because she was trying to avoid crashing or end up in the gravel. "Sorry guys" she said as she had ruined her lap time and would have to start over again. 

"It's okay, we still have time, and you did just make a pretty epic save. We'll show you the video when you come back, the drift was awesome. Just start over" Riccardo spoke, and Y/n thought it was weird that he didn't even sound angry. 

But she did what he said and began a fresh lap time. This time she made sure to not get caught of guard every time she slightly ran over the different apex' around the different corners. Her lap time was a even a lot better than her previous one, before she almost spun around. It definitely secured her a good spot as she crossed the line in P3. She was told to come back to the pits and did so. 

She watched the screen as Estaban, Pierre and Daniel Ricciardo was yet to set their lap time. Cheering spread through the garage as none of them had been able to beat her time, and she would be starting at P3 tomorrow for the race. For a moment she even forgot about the rain that might fall tomorrow as she was too satisfied with her quali result.