Under the Microscope (Book One of Three)

Chapter 45

Super long chapter today! I hope you enjoy it because I quite like this one! 

Also, I'm blown away that this book now has 20k reads and there are almost 1k votes so yeah, please continue! The stats say there are like 450 people reading and following the book so yeah :) Welcome and please do comment and vote! It really motivates me!

Enjoy!

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The race goes well for me, I manage to finish in P10 and Alex in P9, having created a bit of a DRS train with the top speed along Eau Rouge where other teams tow and DRS wasn't powerful enough to overtake. Even Alex seemed to struggle to overtake me, and we were on similar set-ups which surprised me, but I enjoyed practising some defending, that was until Williams asked us to switch places. While some people might have been angry with such an instruction, I had noticed Alex was starting to fall back and when I enquired on the radio as to what had happened, they explained that it was small, but that he had sustained damage from a slightly broken front wing. After seeing him struggle on the straight for a few more laps I called down the line.

"If you need to compromise my finish to get us both in the points, that's okay," I say down the radio, and I'm met with silence.

"Sorry, what was that?" Rachel asks.

"If you want me to defend, which will be easier for me with nothing broken then we can switch positions," I suggest as I take the tricky final chicane and head back down onto the straight, clicking up the gears. There's more silence as they try and figure out what the best course of action is. "Just as long as he can still hit the required top speed to stop any cars from overtaking," I say back, making it clear that I'm not about to give up the opportunity to get my own points if I can help it.

"Thanks for the offer Elodie, we will get back to you, just focus on the road ahead," Rachel replies and I nod to myself as I do just that. Two laps later, I get the call for us to try and switch positions. The first time round we aren't successful because of the DRS train that Alex has already created as the cars directly behind us try and figure out if they can use this to their advantage, but I see an opportunity and call out a strategy name down the line. It's confirmed and when we reach the final corner before heading into the start-finish line, I go wide, and Alex goes narrow as he successfully manages the switch before putting his foot on the pedal and speeding away. I stay careful to stick closely to give him some space but stay within DRS range and benefit from his tow while defending not just Lance but also Lando. Finally, the last ten laps finish and we cross the line much to my relief, happy with the decisions we made, Alex and swallow each other up in an enthusiastic hug after we step out of our cars.

"Thank you, Elodie, that was a good call. RB are lucky to have you." He says sincerely after we both pull off our helmets and I smile, putting a hand on his arm and squeezing it in thanks as we make our way over to the team, who are elated with another double points finish. Eventually, we pull ourselves away and towards the weigh station where I yet again find myself checking the results board.

Red Bull had gotten a 1-2 which I was annoyed to see, that was until I saw that it was Max who had won by an eighteen-second advantage and not Sergio as I had expected given the penalties that Max had taken leading him to start 14th on the grid. That was quite the feat, to come from so far behind his teammate and finish so far in front of him. I respond with that attitude when asked about it in the post-race press that I do, as well as happily accept the praise of being a good teammate.

"It's different in Williams than in the top teams you know. Up there, they're fighting for the world championship, it's more personal they have more to gain and lose. But the game we're playing is more related to the team." I explain to Ziggo sport as I try and make it clear that it's not going to be a regular occurrence with me when they question that in relation to Red Bull. "Obviously, the team comes first, but, I might not be offering solutions." I joke and he thanks me before I move on.