Drive to Survive [Lando Norris]

-11-

The sun was shining the next day and the paddock was full of life. It was qualifying day, which was always very important, but it seemed like there was such a good mood all around the paddock. 

Or maybe it was just Lando who was in an incredible good mood. The smile had definitely not left his face since last night, and right now he felt quite powerful. 

"What's gotten you smiling like that, muppet?" Lando almost had, again, a heart attack at the sound of his old teammates voice behind him. 

The Spaniard was smiling in his Ferrari clothes fisting bumping his friend. 

"What do you mean, Carlos?" he asked still not quite able to wipe the smile off of his face. 

"You're smiling like you're either thinking about something really good, or... maybe someone?" he asked smirking at the last part. 

The worst part was, Carlos was right. Lando was smiling, not because of something, but because of someone. He had spend the entire last night in Willow's hotel room. They had eaten some dinner together and then they watched a movie where Lando was almost touching her hand. He felt like his heart was doing backflips, and they had had so much fun together. They talked and laughed so much, and he really felt like she was opening up to him a bit. He was definitely falling for her. Hard. 

"No I'm not, it's just a good day" Lando replied trying to defend himself. 

"But the day hasn't even started yet" Carlos chuckled as they walked through the paddock. 

"Well- it's gonna be a good day." Lando then said. 

"Mate, you are such a horrible liar. You are definitely thinking about someone" Carlos laughed gently pushing him a bit. 

"Oi, That's not true! I'm an excellent secret keeper" he glared. 

"Do you really want me to elaborate that" Carlos said raising an eyebrow and smirked. 

"Alright fine, maybe I am a bad liar" Lando said finally giving in. 

"So tell me, who is it" Carlos said as he was dying to know who on Earth had found their way to his little muppet friends heart. 

"No one" he said in a low voice. 

"When can I meet this no one then? Oh or maybe I already know them" he chuckled making Lando's eyes go wide. 

"Omg I DO already know them, don't I?" Carlos laughed while Lando froze. 

"What NO!? No you don't! Just forget I ever said anything" he rambled. 

"Mate, calm down" Carlos chuckled putting an arm around Lando's shoulder. "If you don't wanna tell me that's okay, but whom ever it is, I hope they make you happy" Carlos smiled also putting a smile on Lando's face. He'd be lost without Carlos. 

"She does." Lando said with a warm smile. "Thanks Carlos"

"Anytime, muppet. Anyway good luck in quali" the two friends said their goodbyes and made their separate ways to their separate garages. 

Sometimes it was a bit hard for Lando to not have Carlos as a teammate anymore. The pair had grown so close over the years becoming basically best friends, and it's always nice to win and loose with your best friend. Of course Lando was very proud and happy for Carlos to be driving for Ferrari, and Lando was also loving having Daniel Ricciardo as his teammate, but sometimes he'd think back to Carlos, and that was a little hard sometimes. 

-- 

"Okay, Pierre. It's now or never. Don't think about the race, let's just get out there and smash that qualifying" Willow said embracing her teammate in a hug. 

"Yeah you're right, let's get out there" Pierre smiled and both of them got ready and got into their car. 

Q1 was a go, and Willow found herself comfortable behind the steering wheel. She liked Imola. It was track that she was quite familiar with, and she was determined to do good here today as well. 

And that she did. She smashed Q1 ending in P4 and both her and Pierre were moving on for Q2. Another lap was done and Willow ended Q2 in P6 with Pierre in front of P4. It was definitely a lot more tight now in Q3, but Willow wasn't worried. 

She stayed calm and focused on the race and having fun doing what she loved rather that everything else. 

"Great lap, Willow. P6 keep pushing, 5 minutes left" Mark announced sending Willow out in another flying lap. 

It would be absolutely awesome to get pole position, but giving the fact that both Red Bull and Mercedes were quicker than her, ending qualifying with P5 was very satisfying to her. And the team was very happy with her as well seeing as Pierre were right behind her in P6 and both drivers had a good opportunity to take home some important points the next day. 

"Good job out there on track today, Willow" Clara smiled as they walked towards the media pen. 

"Thanks" Willow replied but then gave Clara a confused look, when she kept looking at Willow with a smile. "What?" she asked confused. 

"Nothing you just seem... happy" Clara said with a little smirk. 

"Wasn't I happy before?" Willow asked still being confused. 

"No you were, you just seem happier now. It's good to see" Clara replied. 

"Well it's probably just because the season has finally started" Willow shrugged. 

"Yeah that makes sense, but it's just funny because you even seem a bit happy to do the interviews" Clara continued with the smirk growing on her face. 

"What? No I'm not. I still hate interviews, and nothing will ever change that" Willow said in a ferm voice. She had many times made it clear how she hated interviews and the media. 

"Alright alright, let's just get going" Clara chuckled and they went over to the first interviewer. 

Clara stood there watching Willow do the different interviews, and she had to hide her smile when she noticed the driver constantly looking over at another certain McLaren driver making eye contact with him and cracking a little smile. 

Oh that's why...

A/N Side note:

OMG Lando finally has a girlfriend?? I am so happy for them, she looks absolutely beautiful, and they both look so happy, and I truly wish them all the best!!!