The Red, The Silver, and The Girl Who Liked Both

Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Everything these past two weeks have been leading up to was now upon us. Max didn't say a word this morning, despite my best distractive rambling. Once we arrived at the track, Max looked a little green. Everything was in a frenzy, and even my uncle didn't have time to say hello. He simply handed me a headset and I knew where to go.

On the grid would be 19 cars. Unfortunately, Mazepin was missing the finale due to a positive Covid-19 test. With soft-tired Max on pole ahead of medium-shod rival Lewis. Norris starting third on softs for McLaren and sharing the second row with Checo who was on softs, Bottas with mediums, and Sainz with softs on the third row.

And on the line would be a drivers' championship – Lewis was gunning for a record eighth title, Max going for his first – Mercedes' 28-point lead over Red Bull making them favorites for a record eighth consecutive constructors' championship. That didn't matter as much. As I heard, Honda was going to drop away from supplying engines.

It was lights out and away we go, and it was Lewis who had the superior launch off the line, taking the lead well before Turn 1. Norris ran wide and rejoined fourth, but Max came back on the long straight to Turn 6, almost taking the lead with a late lunge but nudging Lewis wide into the run-off area. The Briton went over the blue strips and retained the lead; the stewards decided not to investigate.

I heard Max's radioed reply. It was that the decision was "incredible", and on Lap 8 he began to note that his rear soft tires were starting to drop off a little, sitting 2.5 seconds behind Lewis ahead. The reigning champion would stretch that gap to 3.5 seconds just a couple of laps later.

Max pitted at the end of Lap 13 from softs to hards and emerged fifth, thundering out of that pit exit and catching Leclerc off guard, the Ferrari driver running wide and locking up soon after. Max made up a place courtesy of Norris on the run to Turn 6 soon after; Leclerc pitted from softs to hards at the end of his 15th lap to emerge 15th.

The Red Bull driver's pit stop triggered Lewis to do the same a lap later, switching from mediums to hard tires, emerging second. Checo therefore inherited the lead, Max then running wide at Turn 15 in frenetic chase before swiping third off Sainz on Lap 18 – perhaps a lap later than he would have liked.

By Lap 20, Lewis was in DRS range of Checo, I was holding my breath, and the Mexican had been told to hold up Lewis. So, bearing down on the lead Red Bull, Lewis made it past him towards Turn 6 but Checo led into the corner. However, the Mercedes driver had a better exit and led into the following. Another twist in the tale as Checo made his way past the seven-time champion going Turn 9 and led into Lap 21.

Checo led by a whisker starting the 21st lap, Lewis again getting a superior exit out of Turn 5 and pinning the Red Bull to the outside going into Turn 6, finally taking the lead of the race. But Checo had done his job, and done it admirably, holding up the Mercedes enough for Max to make up five seconds and letting his teammate cleanly pass before pitting from P3 for hards at the end of the tour.

"Checo is a legend" came Max's response on the radio, I smiled at my uncle who just laughed back. The Dutchman was now two seconds behind Lewis.

Lewis re-ignited the afterburners, however, and continued to steadily build his gap, three seconds ahead by Lap 26 of 58, another second added to that by the halfway point, and the gap steadily increasing.

Just as the season had started, Max bearing down on Lewis in Bahrain using newer tires. I think vaguely to myself that I've seen this before. The real question was how it would end? Well, I knew it would be naïve to think this season didn't have another surprise in store.

When the race restarted on Lap 38, Lewis unfortunately had a 17-second gap in his favor; Max had new tires and eight-tenths per lap to make up if he was to win his first title. He made up half a second alone as the VSC ended, closing down to within 12 seconds with 10 laps left as backmarkers began to come into play – a train of midfielders from Alonso to Leclerc costing Lewis valuable time. I felt bad that I wanted Lewis to lose, I didn't have any ill feelings towards him. I knew Max would be overjoyed and that Lewis would probably only come around to gloat and try to "win me back."

When Max finally came across the midfield gaggle on Lap 51 he was just over 11 seconds behind Lewis, the lead now looking insurmountable. That was, until Latifi crashed on Lap 53 exiting Turn 14, bringing out a Safety Car. Max again took the chance to pit – this time for soft tires. The fact that there were so many Safety Cars and VSCs did not help my nerves about the race at all. Chrisitan gave me a short side hug, which eased some stress but didn't cure it. I knew I wouldn't be calm until after the race.

It turned out that Latifi spun and crashed having fought with Schumacher for P15, picking up dirt and dust running wide in Sector 3, and spun leaving Turn 14.

On Lap 56, Safety Car still circulating, Checo was brought into the pits to retire, denying him a deserved podium and promoting Sainz. Max had boxed for fresh softs under the Safety Car, and as the laps ticked down and the lapped cars were allowed to clear out of the way of the fight for the lead, it would come down to a one-lap shoot-out between Lewis and Max.

Lewis led, until the two went into Turn 5 and that was where Max made the winning pass. The Briton attempted to make it past but his chance at taking a record eighth World Championship was slipping away. Everyone in the Red Bull pits cheered. Checo joined us, hugging me and picking me up excitedly. Checo kissed my cheek and I returned the favor, tightly holding his hand until the race was over. And that is how it would end, Max winning his first title by 2.2 seconds at the checkered flag: an epic send-off for this era of F1 and a Hollywood finish to this most dramatic of seasons.

The final podium place went to Sainz, the Ferrari driver having pried P4 off Norris and been promoted when Checo retired, while Yuki took fourth. In last was Schumacher, the sole Haas driver, with his teammate not starting due to Covid-19. I felt bad for the younger Schumacher. I knew Hass was an American based team, and it was a shame they were doing so horribly. I only hope that the 2022 season brings them more luck.

There were five retirees: Raikkonen on Lap 26, Giovinazzi 10 laps later, Mercedes-bound Williams driver Russell on Lap 26, Checo on Lap 56, and of course Williams driver Latifi, whose crash brought out the race-defining Safety Car.

While Lewis came away without a record eighth championship, Mercedes did, however take a record eighth consecutive constructors' championship in an unforgettable finish to 2021. I knew Mercedes would win the constructors championship, but that didn't matter. No thoughts of Lewis were in my mind after the awards ceremony. Max jumped the final steps leading down from the podiums and caught me mid-run with a searing kiss. Everyone was cheering and gasping and I couldn't be happier. Max let me hold the trophy as everyone from the Red Bull Pits crowded around us. We all lifted the trophy together, and I heard several clicks and flashes from all the cameras.

Max and Christian were still absolutely soaked after the champagne spray. I didn't care though. I hugged both of them, Christian kissing my cheek and Max kissing the side of my head. There were a ton of pictures, and at this point I didn't care what the media said about Max and I. I knew I would care later, but my best friend was now a World Champion and I couldn't be more in love with him. Soon we'd have to go back to reality, but for now it was time to celebrate.

After plenty of celebrating and pictures, Max, Lewis, and Sainz went off to the cooldown room to, well, cool off. However, before heading off Lewis stops me.

"Can I talk to you after?" He asks me quietly, gently touching my upper arm. I don't pull away, and I only nod in response. I hear a few pictures being snapped of us and I groan internally. More news.

When I look up, Max is watching us. He raises his eyebrows and I shake my head indicating I'll tell him later. Max nods back and turns the corner to head to the cooldown room. I head back into the pits and through to the Paddock, wondering what Lewis will want to say to me. I grab one of the many Red Bulls that are sitting in the fridge. Christian and a few other Red Bull techs join me, making quiet conversation. Everyone is still buzzing from Max's win. Chrisitan doesn't talk to me however. I open my phone and head straight to Instagram. I scroll for a while, waiting for Max's return.