Life in the Fastlane (Sebastian Vettel)

20. Austrian Angst

"Are you ready?" Seb asked Mollie, linking his fingers with hers. She nodded at him, her heart racing.

"As ready as I'll ever be I guess," she replied. "I just can't believe we've been put together for the press conference. This is either going to be awkward as hell or a godsend."

"It will be ok," he said, gently pressing his lips to hers.

"Ok, let's go." They let go of each other's hand and got out of the DBX. They grabbed their bags out of the back and began walking towards the paddock entrance.

Seb slipped his sunglasses on and held his hand out. Mollie copied him, putting her sunglasses on and slipped her hand into his.

She very soon became aware of the photographers chasing after them, having noticed the handholding.

"Seb, Mollie! Is it back on between you? Any comment?"

Seb shook his head politely. "No comment." They picked up their pace and were soon scanning their passes to get into the paddock.

"Hey sweetheart, it's ok," Seb said as he noticed Mollie was shaking like a leaf.  "They know now.  We don't need to say anything."

"It's not that.  I just can't help thinking he's watching me.  He could be watching right this minute."

Seb stopped in his tracks.  He turned to face Mollie.  "He's not getting anywhere near you.  I'm personally delivering you to your motorhome.  Then Ash or Kara or Joel will be with you all the time."  He lowered his head and captured her mouth in a sweet, tender kiss. 

Heads around the paddock began turning.  Seb didn't care.  He kissed her a little more passionately. 

"You sly dogs!  You kept that bloody quiet," shouted a familiar Australian accent.  They broke apart, laughing.

"Good morning Daniel," Mollie said. 

"Morning Rashford.  Did you not have time for breakfast so you're snacking on Seb?"  She snorted with laughter. 

Seb tilted his head and shrugged, grinning. 

"We just couldn't stay away from each other.  But have no fear, on track she's just another one of you losers," he laughed.

"Hey, we'll see who's the loser Sunday Vettel," Daniel retaliated, a massive grin on his face. 

He carried on walking down the paddock. 

"Well the news will soon be spread now," Seb remarked.  "He's the biggest gossip here."

Mollie laughed.  She couldn't help but like Daniel, even though he'd been one of the drivers to question her at the beginning of the season. 

They arrived outside the Thorne motorhome. 

"I will see you in the press conference," he said, kissing her again. 

"Oh joy. Daniel Hunter will be a bigger twat than ever."

"You'll put him in his place.  And I'll be there with you. I love you baby."

He reluctantly left and headed towards Aston Martin.  A couple of the other drivers teased him on the way.  Daniel had spread the news as expected. 

"You're just jealous!" he fired back at Charles Leclerc.

"Too right Seb, she's a cracker.  What does she see in an ugly fucker like you?" Charles bantered.

Seb winked at him. "I have many special talents."  

He jogged up the steps to the motorhome.  He felt good.  They no longer had to hide.  Life was great.  If only the letter writer would fuck off.  Then life would be perfect. 

                                         ***

Daniel Hunter sat smiling smugly as he was announced.

"Mollie, Sebastian. Congratulations on your rekindled relationship," he said, obviously being sarcastic. He knew they'd been fucking all along. This just confirmed it.

"Mollie, aren't you worried that this will strengthen claims that you are undeserving of your seat in Formula 1? You've already come in for a lot of criticism following the accident you caused in Miami, which took out your own teammate and Lando Norris."

"My love life has nothing to do with my driving. It also has nothing to do with you. As for Miami, I accept responsibility. I've apologised to both Lando and Scott. I've been punished by the stewards. I made a mistake. I don't see you ever asking other drivers if they're undeserving all because of causing one accident."

Seb grinned to himself. There she was, his fiery Mollie.

"But was it an accident waiting to happen? And what about when you and Sebastian have to race each other on track? Will he be holding back so not to show you up?"

Mollie shot him an evil look. "Mr Hunter, maybe you should ask Seb if he thinks I'll be holding back so as not to show him up?"

The rest of the journalists gathered all laughed. Daniel Hunter looked pissed off.

"By the way, I won't be going easy on her. If I did she'd kick my backside," Seb added. "And if you think she needs to go easy on me then you're admitting she's good!"

Daniel Hunter indicated that he was done asking questions.

Mollie grinned at Seb. He grinned back. That had put Hunter in his place.

***

Mollie climbed out of the car in Park Ferme. Not the best of results, but she'd take ninth. Her weekend had been compromised from the start by the grid penalty. Then she'd been blocked in Q2 by Esteban Ocon and missed out on Q3. She'd ended up starting in fourteenth place.

Her race had however been better than Seb's. He'd had a gearbox issue and been forced to retire the car on lap 30.

She headed towards the media pen to get the necessary evils out of the way.

"Mollie hi, great drive today," said Paul diResta from Sky Sports.

"Thanks Paul. I'm happy with it.  I think it's the best that I could have hoped for with the grid penalty and the disaster in qualifying."

"So up next is your home race at Silverstone. Now, you don't have the best track record there do you? Your last three races there have ended in crashes. Are you expecting to do a bit better this year?"

"Yeah thanks for that Paul. Didn't need reminding. Well, the curse has to end sometime right? I'm sure it will go just fine. They say things come in threes and I've had my three there."

"So you think you can get some points there?"

"Points? I'm aiming for the podium," she said, grinning.

He laughed. "Well good luck."

"I'm going to need it," she whispered under her breath as she walked away. She had acted all optimistic and happy, but inside she was petrified. That track hated her. What did it have in store for her this year?