The Team Principal

Twenty Seven

After spending a couple of days at my grandad's house to make sure that he was alright because I didn't want another health care. Whilst I was there, I was working, making sure that all the paperwork was completed ready for the doubleheader in Austria for the Styrian and Austrian Grand Prix and then also did some wedding planning for Silverstone because that's only a few weeks away and it's going to be amazing and so special. It's the one thing that my Grandad is looking forward to most. Seeing his darling granddaughter get married to the one she loves. My Grandad is always telling me the story of how he met Nanna and what their wedding was like and also telling me that she is so proud of me, even though she isn't here with us and that she is always watching over the family. 

As soon as Nicky finished his interviews at the French Grand Prix, he was on the first flight back to the UK to come and be with me. I asked mum to go and pick him up from Heathrow because I didn't really want to leave Grandad and I told her to drop him off at Grandad's house. The first thing Nicky did when he walked through the front door of the house, pulled me into a tight hug and that telling me that everything is going to be okay and that he is always going to be there for me no matter what situation it is. 

The doubleheader went past in the blink of an eye. The couple of weeks that we spent in Austria at the Red Bull Ring were good. Unfortunately, George got at DNF at the Styrian Grand Prix but finished just outside the points at the Austrian Grand Prix. Whereas Nicky finished P17 for the Styrian race and P16 for the Austrian race. During the time that there was no racing, I spend planning for the rest of the season as well as talking a little boat onto the lake in the mountain as a way of relaxing. I called my mum to ask how Grandad was doing and if he is in good health and if he is still up for coming to the next race which is at Silverstone and it is also my wedding, which I am looking forward to. 

But today is the day of the wedding and I was so nervous. It was that last few hours I would be spending as a Williams before becoming a Latifi. But I couldn't wait for that moment. Spending my time before the race looking over the practice data to help predict data for the Hungarian GP, just before the summer break. But with this weekend being the first of the 3 sprint races, the layout was different it went free practice one, qualifying, free practice 2 and then the sprint race to determine the starting grid for Sunday's race. Nicky was starting P17 and George was starting P12. But like I always tell my driver is that whatever happens out there on the track is that I am proud of them and that they tried to the best of their ability. 

This weekend, my mum, stepdad, little brother and grandad are here and it just means the world to me. Nathaniel is going to be the ring bearer going down the aisle in a little go-kart which was George's idea. My only bridesmaid is Natalie Pinkham and Nicky'sbest man is George. The only people that are going to be dressed smartly for this wedding is me, Nicky, George, my mum, stepdad, my grandad and my little brother. We have asked the other driver to come in their race suits because we're at a race track and it is what me and Nicky agreed on. 

I was just talking to Jost and both of the driver's engineers about the data collected from the practise sessions and what improvement we could make ahead of the Hungarian race. Once I finished my conversation, I turned to head to the back of the garage and I could see my family walking in as soon as I saw my Grandad, I had the biggest smile on my face and I ran over to give my Grandad a hug. 

"Thank you so much for being here today, it just means the absolute world to me," I said. "Anything for my little Frankie" he replied in his usual gentle tone. I also greeted my mum stepdad and gave them a big hug and then I picked up my little brother and gave him a big cuddle. I hand my mum and stepdad a headset, as well as my grandad's personalised headset and my little brother a personalised one as well. For the race today I was staying in the garage, to sit with my grandad an brother, whilst Jost took my mum and stepdad over to the pit wall.