Against all odds

Chapter 3

Walking out of the room my smile fell and my posture relaxed. As Ian caught up to me, I explained: "I am so sorry Ian! I shouldn't have been so rude to the reporters. I should have just shut my mouth and answered the questions, but they were so stupid I didn't know how to react. I'm sorry!"

"Hey, I think what you did in there was awesome. We could work on some of the answers, but I think you responded appropriately. I do think we should get you and Max back to the garage now. Do you mind walking with him? I have somewhere to be."

"Of course! go on. I'll see you later!" I smiled at him as he split off from the group and I walked a bit slower so Max and his PR guy would catch up to me.

"Hello, there little midget!" Max smiled at me.

"Don't call me that! I'm quite tall okay!" I answered unhappily with his comment.

"Nope! I don't think I will. That's your nickname from now on."

"Fine then! I'll just call you Maximus the moron from now on!" I laughed happy about the creative nickname I came up with.

we spent the walk to the garages bickering and only split up when one of the mechanics called his name.

I worked around the car for another few hours till the sun were long gone and most of the mechanics went to the hotel. after that, I resorted back to sitting in front of the steering wheel and trying to memorize all the buttons.

A few hours later the sun rose again and not much time after that the mechanics swarmed into the garage and started to work again.

Training the pitstops and fitting the rest of the car to my height cost much more time than we had imagined, and the Free Practice was just around the corner, so we made the needed adjustments as quickly as possible.

I was talking to Simon about the strategies as Ian came running in: "Morning! I'm sorry I stranded you! did you catch a ride to the Hotel from the team?"

"Oh, I didn't go to the hotel. I just changed my clothes to the ones I had in my bag and freshened up on the toilet," I answered pointing at my discarded duffel bag in the corner.

"Didn't I show you the motorhome? you could have showered there! and put your stuff away! Shit, I'm so sorry! I'll show you right now come on!" he exclaimed and ushered me out of the garage just letting me pick up my bag on the way out.

Showing me around the paddock he asked: "Did you get any sleep last night? no offense but you look kind of like a Zombie." he laughed.

"Well, thanks for the compliment! I had a 20-minute nap on the flight here." I murmured only now feeling my desperate need for some caffeine, "Do you reckon I could get a cup of coffee somewhere? I need one right now. "

"What you need is a nap, and you will get one once were in the motorhome. We need you at your best at free practice because you need the training!" he scolded me.

Walking into the building busy people were doing their job but somehow, they all found the time to turn and look at who just entered the Motorhome with the media employee. Trying my best to smile at them and seem like I knew what I was doing and whilst following Ian like a lost puppy.

"Well, this is your room! That door is your bathroom, but you are sharing that with Max when hes sleeping here. Just relax and come back to the garage before the practice starts. Do you need anything?" the tall man explained and seeing that I shook my head left me to my thoughts.

Throwing my bag in a corner I had the energy to set an alarm just before falling into the bed, sleeping as soon as my head hit the pillow. Sleeping like a baby I only woke up when my alarm was going off.

I was rolling around trying to go back to sleep but to no avail. I was awake, the two hours were by far not enough, but I would have to take a quick shower before walking back to my car. Getting up and angrily shutting up the annoying ringing that came out of my phone I got my fireproofs and racing suit and left for the shower.

not even bothering to wash my hair I got under the water and did my usual routine before drying off and getting dressed. Doing my hair in my usual three braids on each side of my head so it wouldn't look like shit when I took my helmet off later, I grabbed my stuff and headed for the garage.

getting in the car only 30 minutes later the nerves were showing. my hands got sweaty my knees started shaking and I couldn't sit still. The quick look Christian Horner gave me when he passed didn't make it better. It more so did the opposite.

Lucky for me I could drive out of the garage a few minutes later and as soon as I got on the track, I got quite a bit calmer. Taking the corners safely and warmed up my tires as well as bettered the feeling for my car.

"And radio check please" I heard through my earpieces.

"Loud and clear Simon. should I start going faster or do you want me to stay at this pace?" I still needed some guidance from my race engineer.

"Step on the throttle when you're ready." and that's what I did.

Trying to find the best breaking points and where it was best to step on the gas pedal my lap times decreased. I couldn't tell you how long I drove, but it seemed like mere minutes when the call came: "Box, box. We want to see you on softs before we finish up, please."

"As you wish kind Sir" I replied poshly smiling to myself.

Getting out of the car I thanked the team: "Thank you, guys! the car was great, and I am so happy that I get to work with you. I really didn't think it would work out well at all so thanks again!"

I gave them high fives and received a few pats on my head before leaving to change. Walking through the paddock I walked past a few photographers and cameramen and women who instantly put their lenses on me.

I just tied the top half of my racing suit around my waist before joining the team in the conference room. Christian Horner was sitting at the head of the table looking through some papers as I sat on an empty chair.

"Are we missing someone, or should we start?" the man said a few minutes later and after a few shaken heads he started the briefing that ended an hour and a half later.

Taking my time to reflect on the laps today I sat in a quiet corner of the garage with my second cup of scalding hot coffee in hand trying to think about how I could improve my lap times before the qualifying.

I had closed my eyes for a second to try and calm my nerves, but someone tapped my shoulder: "Alexandra? Don't sleep before Quali! It's your first one and you are taking a nap five minutes before you have to get into the car?!" I recognized that voice. It was Max who also was in his racing suit.