In the Spotlight (Max Verstappen - Book Two)

Chapter Forty

Well...after that dramatic end to media day, I don't really know what happened but I ended up at a hotel rather than my motorhome as it was easier for those around me apparently. I spent the Friday having to sit out of both free practice sessions, Pierre getting in my car for one session and Daniel for the other one while Yuki switched between their cars in case they needed to take over from me in the race. Which, fortunately, did not happen, it was just a twenty-four-hour bug or food poisoning and I was able to get back in the car for Saturday. I made it to Q3 but didn't do so well after that, the Hungaroring really wasn't one of my preferred tracks.

The race went fine and once again I finished third, however, Max finished second and I was starting to get anxious about it. His form really had changed since the breakup and he was in a whole other world when it came to racing at the moment, absolutely impossible to get passed. Not that he was even really my top priority because Lewis had taken home yet another win and my lead was starting to slip. Not too dramatically fortunately but not getting past Max had been a serious pain in my ass because he was slower than me and I probably could have gotten past Lewis if Max had let me by.

But no team orders. Despite the fact that we were on different strategies and it had just cost us and me seven points in the championship.

I was angry when I got out of the car. Despite being the last one of the top three to pull in I immediately went to congratulate Lewis, my helmet still on as I gave Max a simple fist bump and walked away. After the podium, I was hustled by Liv to the podium press conference, something I was extremely used to but was annoyed about constantly sitting in the third seat. The number of seconds and thirds I had this season was getting stupid. The wins had been good but I needed more and now that this race was done there were only eleven races to go.

I got comfy in my seat as I looked around the room, no ghost of a smile on my face as I couldn't wait for this to be over. I'd had a quick talking to by Liv to not go after the team if possible but I could tell that both she and Nick were annoyed at the outcome. I had been two seconds a lap quicker than Max and Lewis before I got stuck behind Max with seven laps to go and a ten-second gap to Lewis. People never believed you when you said you were faster but couldn't get past and I knew a lot of people weren't going to believe me either but the times didn't lie and Max truly fucked my race today. He drove in the middle of the track and made it impossible for me to get by without potentially taking him out and unlike him, I'm a team player. I smiled at both drivers tightly as they took their seats and we started, each giving quick statements before we moved on.

"Alright and Elodie, you were looking very fast towards the end, but alas the first place wasn't meant to be today?" One reporter asks and I can't help but roll my eyes before silently cursing myself.

"Right, yeah, I was very fast but Max defended well and I guess the team didn't want the win. So it is what it is." I say flatly, watching Lewis smirk next to me and I try to ignore him, really thankful that the person in first has to sit in the middle so that I don't have to sit next to Max right now. God I'm so angry right now.

"Do you think that team orders should have come into play?" The journalist follows up clearly leaning into how I'm not guarding myself in the press conference.

"I think it's up to the team how they want to play the season but Mercedes have developed well and I would have thought given the projection as I know it to be...I was headed to finish first or at the very least challenge Lewis. When you have two drivers on different strategies and one in a significantly faster car then it's less about team orders and more just getting out of the way. But whatever, it is what it is." I say cattily and I hear a murmur spark in the room as I vaguely see Liv shaking her head at me from the corner of my eye.