Taming the Bull ~ [Sebastian Vettel]

Prologue

"The new world champion - Sebastian Vettel. Absolutely sensational race!"

Ingrid couldn't take her eyes off the television screen in front of her. The world around her just seemed to fade away into a distant blur whilst the end of the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix was playing out in front of her eyes. The usual sounds of beeping machines, people yelling and feet tumbling around on the plastic floor no longer filled her senses. All she could hear, feel and see were those wondrous machines rumbling to the finish-line in the sun soaked afternoon at Suzuka. Martin Brundle's familiar voice was like music to her ears.

"The new world champion is Sebastian Vettel. There's Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Jack Brabham, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Mika Häkkinen and Fernando Alonso - are the eight legends who have won back-to-back world champion titles. Add to that list Sebastian Vettel, who is the youngest of them all and I think he very much deserves to join that list of great drivers."

Crossing her arms over her chest Ingrid watched the television in front of her with big eyes as she could see Jenson Button climbing out of his gorgeous McLaren MP4-26 to celebrate his 12th victory in Formula 1. The only thing Ingrid could think about however was the German driver who had just become a two-time world champion.

"Sebastian, you are the 2011 world champion, well done!"

Christian Horner's radio message to his golden boy was broadcasted and Ingrid couldn't help but let a wide smile fill her face. She had always had a sweet spot in her heart for the thrill-chasing world of motorsport and watching a driver become a world champion always made her heart soar with joy.

Her father had always been an avid watcher of Formula 1 and she could recall countless moments from her childhood when they'd watched a grand prix together. She could picture now her father of German origin, who was always rooting for Michael Schumacher no matter what, being pleased about the world title for the seven-time world champion's friend.

Ingrid had never met a bigger fan of Michael Schumacher, and for all she knew Michael could've kidnapped herself, and her father would still be praising the German F1 driver to the moon and back. He would've probably even put the kidnapping down to somehow being Ingrid's fault. She could almost hear his voice now:

"Well Ingrid, what did I always tell you? Stranger danger. You should've never trusted Michael in the first place and look where you ended up now!"

Or come to think of it, Ingrid's father Herman Ziegler might have actually put her up for the kidnapping voluntarily if it was known that the kidnapper indeed was Michael Schumacher. He would probably gladly sacrifice her for approval from his all-time hero. Ingrid chuckled quietly to herself just thinking about the prospect of being kidnapped by Michael Schumacher and her father's over the top admiration for the man.

"Thank you so much, every single one. Every single one. We took nothing for granted, and we did it."

The emotion detectable in Sebastian Vettel's voice made Ingrid's eyes glaze over. She couldn't even imagine what it would feel like to win a Formula 1 world championship. The amount of hard work and dedication needed and for two years in succession as well, she could've never done it.

Whilst yes, there is a certain amount of pressure in the medical field as well Ingrid couldn't even imagine the amount of pressure and scrutineering drivers such as Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso had to face from the press and the fans on a daily basis. All of the Formula 1 drivers' mental capacities and abilities to focus were admirable.

Ingrid had followed Sebastian Vettel closely throughout his junior career and had been very pleased to see him do so well for himself alongside the big boys in Formula 1 when he first joined the pinnacle of motorsport. Her father Herman originated from Frankfurt, Germany and so she herself felt a certain connection to the German drivers as well as the British drivers such as Button and Hamilton nowadays, and Mansell and Coulthard when she first started watching the sport with her father back in the day.

The young German was something very special though and after winning the world title the year before he had now convincingly secured a second world driver's title this season with four races to go, and Ingrid couldn't have been more impressed. Sebastian Vettel just had everything a Formula 1 driver should have. He had charisma, drive, focus, a touch of arrogance, talent and an almost irritating confidence in his own ability. Not to forget of course where his golden locks, his enchanting blue eyes often seen with a wicked glint in them, his cheeky smile, his contagious laughter. Ingrid could probably go on for days, she was convinced those attributes could make anyone fall in love with the young German, or at least that was the case with her.

Not for the first time, Ingrid let her thoughts wander away to the one thing she could never stop thinking about these days. The thought of witnessing all these things in real life, the thought of playing a part in the Formula 1 circus.

More specifically, being a part of the Formula 1 medical team.

Could you imagine being one of the people working in the medical team or in the medical car? Driving around on the glorious Formula 1 tracks, rescuing and helping the drivers when in need? Just the pure thrill of hearing the roar of those engines and machinery whistling past on the circuit, the smell of engines and fuel. Just magic.

Ingrid let out a deep breath and sighed, what wouldn't she do for that to be her. That would be her dream come true

"Ziegler, we need you in the ER, right now!"

The voice screaming her name down the corridor immediately caught Ingrid's attention and she quickly tore her eyes away from the Japanese dream on the television in front of her.

"One minute!" Ingrid yelled back in response whilst starting to fumble with her notepad and various other things on the table next to her. She swiftly tied her long, blonde locks up in a ponytail and put her small reading glasses back on her freckled nose.

With one last look over her shoulder her eyes suddenly caught those of a certain German driver. Her heartbeat stopped for a second when the young Formula 1 driver celebrated his title and flashed that stunning smile of his towards the camera. All of a sudden Ingrid felt her cheeks heating up and a funny, fluttering feeling in her stomach.

"What am I doing", she quietly hummed to herself. "You cannot walk around the ER with a blush on your cheeks because a Formula 1 driver smiled towards a camera on the television, snap back to reality Ingrid!"

And with those last thoughts Ingrid turned away from the charming Sebastian Vettel and the dreamy world of Formula 1 on the television in one of the waiting rooms at the hospital, away from the only thing keeping her motivated on such a grey and gloomy day working in the ER as a trauma nurse.

Ingrid loved her job, the dreaming could wait till later. Formula 1 was not a possibility for her, it was just a pipedream never to be fulfilled. Her interest in motorsport was just a hobby for her, a fun way to pass time and enjoy something together with her father. You simply cannot be walking around fantasising about Formula 1 drivers whilst the real world is still going on all around you.

With determined steps Ingrid started navigating her way through the twisty and sterile hospital corridors, if only she would've been navigating herself around corners on a Formula 1 track she would've been filled with quite the contrasting feelings, but that dream could never come true. Why should it? She was just a normal 24 year old woman, with normal hobbies and normal looks working in a normal hospital, in a normal town, leading a normal life. She could never belong in a Formula 1 paddock, could she?