3 months later... From that day in Zak Brown's office it was clear to me that to stay in this job I had to be the best. All eyes were on me because I was the youngest and least experienced engineer on the team. When I graduated I worked in an appliance company in New York for 6 months but I never imagined I would be working in Formula 1 with modern engines and major brands. While my knowledge is academically good, I had a 9.5 GPA, cars were never what I had in mind if you ask me. So this was a challenge for me. The season is about to start and I couldn't be more excited. The teamwork to create the best car on the grid was about to show. Fortunately everyone at McLaren showed me their support and made the job more bearable. But I still couldn't convince Lando Norris that my work was worthwhile, he always had an argument against me or just didn't like the way I worked but his manager always told him that he should give me a chance. Lando and I didn't have much contact these three months, we only talked about the car and sometimes it was his manager who had the talks with me. In these three months I couldn't figure out why Lando didn't like me but that wasn't a problem for me, I'm not interested in being friends with him or whatever. I just want to do my job well for this beautiful team that trusts me.
Friday 18th of March - Practice Day
"OK Lando, radio check" I said into the headphones. The Bahrain Grand Prix had started and we had to make sure the car would run as planned.
"Loud and clear" Lando replied the other side.
After an hour and a half of free practice we returned the car to the garage so we could check the details.
"Good job" I smiled approaching Lando as he tried to get out of the car.
"I'm not comfortable with the car" he complained.
"Tell me what's wrong and we'll fix it" I said as Lando got out of his car and took off his gloves and helmet.
"Just do your job right" he got annoyed "Maybe then, I wouldn't have a problem" he said looking me in the eye as he walked around my side. I just stood there trying to understand why he was so irritating. I went back to my place with the other engineers and mechanics to continue working.
I looked at the clock and it was 11pm, it was very late. I went back to the hotel to take a shower and eat something since I had only had coffee all day to keep all my senses. I got out of the bathroom and put on some comfortable clothes and went down to the hotel restaurant to order some dinner.
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Once at the table I ordered the waiter a plate of pasta and a glass of water. Ten minutes later the waiter arrived with my food, I thanked him and he left. I was enjoying my dinner when a group of laughing voices could be heard behind me. I barely turned around to see whose voices they were. It was Lando with a girl and 3 other drivers, Max Verstappen Charles Leclerc Pierre Gasly, all of them also accompanied by girls. I turned my eyes to the plate trying to hide my presence until a man in front of me spoke.
