GRIDLOCK - Lando Norris [BOOK 1 Gridlock Series]

13

Practice day in Singapore and all eyes were on Max and Lando. The season was coming round to a close and RedBulls determination to get another World championship was hot and heavy. But then equally, McLaren was hungry for a first world championship in years.

I know that both of the boys would be feeling an extreme amount of pressure. I know I was and I'm sitting inside the garage.

I kit up ready for the practice round to begin. Watching closely on the screens as the cars begin to take to the track.

Christian had been very particular about what modes he wanted to try today and didn't tactics to place Max on top.

You could feel the pressure around the garage between all the workers. They all had a job to do, and they had to do it. I would imagine there would be hell to pay if they didn't.

I catch glimpse of the red Ferrari exiting the garage and Charles gives me a slight nod on his way past. Max following him out onto the grid.

The flying lap is really good, really really good and judging by the sighs of relief that erupt from the garage, something went right.

As Max gets pushed back inside the garage and the data is placed in front of him, Christian and he exchange a thumbs up to each other.

I've been keeping my eye on things and with only 3 minutes remaining in practice, Lando is yet to come out of the garage. I'm b beginning to wonder if McLaren plan on putting him out at all. 

Whilst practice 2 gets underway shortly afterwards, Max's tests seem to again go incredibly to plan and McLaren again, doesn't get the car out on track.

The small break between practice 2 and 3, I take my headphones off and start to make my way toward the garage door.

"Are you insane?" Johan grabs my arm and pulls me back inside the garage.

"What?" I reply in a whisper as he did.

"You cannot go anywhere near that McLaren garage right now. All eyes are on this team right now, Christian doesn't want anything getting out" he warns.

"I know nothing about the improvements happening" I defend, wriggling my arm out of his tightening grasp.

"It doesn't matter, do not give off any indication that you are friendly with the enemy. That will go for Charles as well"

My mouth drops in shock. I've been around plenty of times when the tension builds toward end of season, but never to the point I haven't been able to speak to any of them.

"You've got to be kidding"

Johan shakes his head "surround yourself with only RedBull".

I peer over towards mother who has a very sharp, concerned eye on me. Nodding slightly to Johan, I return to my seat and reattach my headphones.

Practise three doesn't change at all and Lando doesn't exit his garage, neither does the other McLaren and there was no signs of any of them on the pit wall either. But you could definitely hear them in the shed.

I was getting a little worried. But surely there has to be a strategic plan to all of this.

By the time we make it back to the hotel, it's late evening and I'm about 6 unanswered text messages deep into Lando's inbox.

Part of me thinks it's just crunch time and he is head down in business at the moment, but part of me also wonders if Monza stays in Monza.

It feels as if it's 1000 degrees out and I have nothing else to do with my afternoon, so I throw on my black bikini and head down to the hotel pool for an afternoon swim.

Diving head first into the deep end, I'm relieved at the temperature change. Even spending my entire life trackside which doesn't have the best reputation for being a cool area, I cannot stand sweating and I felt like that's all I had been doing all day.

I glide over to the far end of the pool and rest my elbows on the edging, my chin nestled on top of my folded arms.

My attention is caught to the splash that comes from where I entered the water, but no one is visible when I turn around, but their darkened shadow below water shows me exactly who it is.

"I was told to stay away from you" I poke.

Charles swims right up beside me and mimics my actions "voulez-vous que je parte?" (Do you want me to leave?) he asks with a sarcastic smirk.

I shake my head to answer.

"Good, because I wasn't going to" he teases. "Tense day today" he commented.

I groan in reply "I really don't want to talk Formula One and championship right now Charles"

He laughs at me as he dips his head underwater, then flicking his hair over to one side as he emerges from the water.

"What's happening with Lando?" He asks instead.

I peer at him knowingly "yeah really tense day today" I change subject deliberately which makes him chuckle.

"Just be careful yeah?" He empathises

"Why does everyone tell me that?" I ask

Charles looks at me although the answer should be crystal clear. "You're a smart girl, Ev. Just make sure you're using your head" he flips over so his back is now resting on the wall. "Come on then, I'll race you"

I shake my head in amusement "always racing" I tease before kicking off the wall and sending myself down the other end of the pool as fast as I can.

When I'm almost at the end I feel the pressure around my ankles before being dragged backwards under the water sending water straight up my nose.

I reach the surface with a cough and splatter to find Charles making a break for it towards the wall. I pick up speed and launch myself ontop of him, sending us both under water.

We've made our way over to the spa now to at lease pretend we are adults for 5 minutes. But it seems like when Charles and I are together, we are more like children.

"Any plans for college?" He asks

I shake my head deflated "I don't think I have time for college" outside of race season, I don't really have much of a life.

"You can't just keep following Max around. What happens when he retires?" A question I have thought about more often than not in the past few years.

I shrug "I'll figure it out then I guess"

Charles' expression reveals he doesn't like my answer. "What would you do? If you had the time?"

I don't even have to think about it. "Art"

His eyes widen in interest "you paint?" He asks.

"Draw" I correct.

"Show me" he demands

I could feel my face darken with embarrassment.

He notices "Evelyn, I want to see" he demands again, this time accompanied with a face full of water being sent my way.

Back to being 5 year olds.

He continues to send tidal waves my way until I give in. "Okay, okay"

He chuckles in victory.

"You really are an ass"