The Teammate

09 - Something No One Saw Coming

June 2023 - Spanish Grand Prix 

The night before qualifying in Spain, Lando found himself out on the patio of his hotel suits looking up at the sky. It was a chaotic type of peaceful, standing there his forearms braced against the railing watching the clouds slide by. Constellations could be seen through the breaks in clouds, the stars shining down on him as the cold breeze toyed with the curls of his hair.

Over the course of the weekend the weather was supposed to only get worse, with the forecast calling for a decent rainstorm on Sunday, the day of the race. Wet conditions always made for an interesting race. It usually leveled the playing field. In wet conditions, anyone could win, it didn't matter what car they were driving anymore. Succeeding in wet conditions relied more on the driver.

It also made for a more dangerous race. Although that never stopped any Formula One driver, it may have gotten them to pause over the years, but no one ever backed out because of the weather. Including Lando.

"Fancy seeing you out here." He didn't jump at the sound of her voice, mostly because he had been hoping that he would hear her. That she would slip out onto the neighboring patio like she had done in Miami. It hadn't been the reason he went out there, but it was the reason he stayed out there so long, despite the cool breeze.

"I could say the same to you." Lando turned to face Arabella. She was wrapped in a blanket, her dirty blond hair unbound and hanging around her shoulders. Some of the strands were tucked under the hem of the blanket.

"Fair." She smiled, turning towards the sky she placed her hands on the railing and stared up at the clouded sky.

"Got a lot on your mind again?" The corner of her mouth twitched but she didn't look at him. "Is it your father?"

"No." She admitted. "He's fine, well as fine as he can be all things considered." Lando nodded. "I just wanted some air." Finally, she turned towards him. "What's your excuse?"

"Maybe I'm nervous." Lando shrugged, his face turned away from hers, but the corner of his lips twisted upwards.

"I thought drivers don't get nervous?" There was a challenge in her voice as she cocked her head to the side. It made Lando's smile broaden as he turned back towards her.

"Oh, we get nervous." Lando said taking a step closer to the railing that faced her balcony.

"Is that so? You're not all supper tough macho men?" Arabella mirrored his movements smiling at him. Their eyes never left each others, a tension had slowly started to build between them. Lando could feel it slide over him, it pushed against his diaphragm almost making it harder to breath the closer he got to her.

"Not all of us." He said in an arrogant enough tone that made Arabella snort.

"So, you're just a scared little boy out there in your seat."

"Maybe." He shrugged. "Maybe I'm the tough macho driver."

"I don't believe that." She said shaking her head. Lando raised his eyebrows. "I think you hide it with your jokes and your humor, but deep down you're scared."

"Scared?"

"Nervous. You want to win for you, but more so for your team. For the hard work of everyone who got you there." Lando looking down for a moment. "You care, a lot."

"I do, do I?" She nodded. "You seem to know me better than most." It was her turn to look down, away from him. He watched her for a moment as the moonlight hit the side of her face. "You seem like you're doing better." The corner of her lips twitched in a relieved smile at the change in subject. "I actually saw you smile at the track today."