A U R O R A // F1

Qualifying Day Australian GP. March 21st, 2020

*MATT* Easy. Eeeeeasy into Q2
with this lap. Nice one, Suvi,
that was good.

*ME* Hehe. Enjoyed that one.

As great as Q1 went, something felt off when I started the second Quali session.
They first fucked up by sending me into massive traffic, then I unintentionally screwed Verstappen's flying lap because Matt didn't warn me, and by the time I saw the Red Bull driver in my mirrors it was already too late to get out of the way. He had to run very wide, which must have cost him at least four or five tenths.
I tried to keep my head down, but I just couldn't get focused enough to really nail a lap after that. I knew it wasn't technically my mistake, but I still cringed at the thought of facing that particular driver after this incident.

Just as in Abu Dhabi, I just missed out on Q3. Pierre outqualified me by three hundredths of a second, leaving me stuck in P12.

That starting position wasn't bad, especially for the car I had. But I was still annoyed. I tried as hard as possible to look like a good sport, being happy, when I waved at the spectators right above the garage. But I had no idea if I was at all convincing.

I moved up to the pitlane. Everyone looked at me, apologetic.

"So am I getting a penalty for that Red Bull incident?"

Matt tried as hard as he could to avoid my gaze, because he knew he would regret it if he looked.

"Uh, we don't know yet. Our fault, sorry."

I clenched my teeth and stepped back. "We'll let you know.", I heard him say, but I was already on my way back to the motorhome.

My adrenaline was still high from driving as I rushed through the place.
As soon as I closed the door behind me in my room, I pulled down the upper half of my overall and got rid of the tight, sweaty undershirt.

I just stood there for a while, scrolling through my phone and occasionally sipping on a bottle of water, when I heard the door opening and closing behind me. Figuring it was my manager because of the usual lack of knocking and waiting for an answer, I didn't see the need to turn around.

"Leave it, Jamie, I don't even wanna know if I got the penalty or not, it's too depressing."

"Well you definitely should've gotten one with that fucking dumb move you pulled there."

I darted around. I didn't look into the familiar, big brown eyes of Jamie, but into the cold blue ones of a Dutchman, looking shaken up and still in his suit. It looks like he went straight from his car to here.

I was at a loss for words in that moment. It took me a second to gather my thoughts.

"First off, what a move to just burst in here like that, and second, didn't they tell you that I didn't do it on purpose? Matt didn't warn me, I had no idea you were right behind me, I am sorry."

I saw his jaw muscles tense as he returned my stare.

"You were still so stupid to be right on the racing line when on a fucking out lap. I could've crashed into you and you could have ruined my Qualifying, seriously."

"Jesus Christ, Verstappen, you didn't, and as I said, I had no idea anyone was behind me, so, sorry! Give me a break!"

"There are no breaks in this series! It's the top! How you even got here is a mystery to me, you should've just stayed in GT racing, for fuck's sake!"

My jaw dropped. "Excuse me? I won two championships before I got here, what did you do before getting where you are now? Fucking spoiled child immediately getting promoted to F1, you know what I went through to get where I am now?" I threw my hands up. "I won't get there with you. I don't have to justify me being here. You're, you're just being a big baby. Get out of my room." I showed him the door.