Under the Microscope (Book One of Three)

Chapter 28

I am currently a few days out from submitting my masters dissertation which is why the updates have slowed down, I'm also sort of stuck, feeling like I'm not keen on how I've written different parts of this and so yeah....

I am almost definitely writing a sequel when this one finishes, which at my mind will be set at the end of the season, or even elsewhere...but I still don't know just yet. I don't want to drag it on forever, so yeah there will probably be a sequel lol...

Ramble over!

Hope you enjoy this one! It's a bit of a plot twist...

****

I ended up being flown out to the Austrian Grand Prix a day earlier than I thought because Netflix wanted another sit-down interview to talk through Silverstone, which was good because I was able to emphasise the positive impact the fans had that weekend and how it just felt like a race like no other for me. However, they continued questioning me on my future in the sport for the following season and having already been briefed on the fact that I could talk about the teams I was talking to, it made way for a lot more conversation this time round.

"So next season, there are a lot of rumours about a possible move to McLaren?" Annie asks suggestively and I lightly shake my head.

"I've been approached by them but they're not a team I'm really considering."

"Why is that? Is it because you are friends with Daniel Ricciardo?"

"No, as brutal as it is, this is F1. Daniel wouldn't take it personally if I did replace him because he knows as a driver that you just have to take every opportunity you are given. It's more about seeing his experience there over the last season, it doesn't look like a particularly good environment to be in if you aren't Lando. McLaren cars are notoriously different to drive from all the other F1 teams' cars and so I think trying to learn how to drive a car that drives so different from other ones would be a mistake for me this early in my career unless I was planning on staying there for years." I say honestly and Annie nods. "I know other drivers from IndyCar or even reserve drivers for other teams would see it as a risk worth taking, but yeah...I don't trust being offered a seat that is currently filled with a largely unbreakable contract." I say, thinking about the rumours around the paddock that Zac has not just offered the seat to me but several IndyCar drivers as well as Oscar Piastri.

"So if it's not McLaren, who is it that you are looking at racing for?"

"Well...obviously I have a contract with Williams for another year of racing, so I don't have to feel rushed into signing somewhere else, perhaps why I'm more comfortable declining the McLaren seat. But there are a fair few drivers whose contracts expire this season, so any of them are an option to be considered really." I say vaguely.

"Alpha Tauri for example," she says and I nod, knowing that Gasly has resigned but Yuki has not yet. "Would you consider that given your ties to Mercedes?"

"I have to. As I say this is F1, and the seats are limited. If I was offered a seat within the Red Bull family it would have to be considered seriously because unfortunately, Mercedes are full. This is something that Mercedes and Toto understand because George is a great driver and he and Lewis are a strong pairing, so realistically I would be waiting until Lew decides to leave if  I limited myself to Mercedes. Toto understands that if they don't have a seat for me to fill that I have to look elsewhere." I explain, "so I have to be selfish and put myself in the best position to be competitive, which would possibly be in one of the other teams with a less strong driver pairing."

"With that being said, who do you think has the weaker line-up then, between Ferrari and Red Bull?"

I pause thinking about whether I can actually say this before remembering that I had been told total transparency was key so after a moment I say, "Red Bull."