All the Way - an F1 story

43

4-5 November, 2021
📍Mexico City, Mexico

"Okay, but as it stands, how is the season looking?"

Marta scanned her notes for what seemed like forever, and with each passing moment, Calina felt like she was going to doze off. Marco, in his usual pre-race-weekend jitters, had called an early team meeting, to which no one was thrilled about. And so, the seventy-or-so members of Scuderia Pagani found themselves packed into the hospitality suite, with Calina occupying a table in the corner with Lella, Gianna, Mona, and Elara.

"If we keep up our performance, then third place is ours," Marta answered. "We most likely will not catch the top two, but it is ours; that is, if we do better than how we have been in these past few rounds, it will be even better for us."

"I swear, if Mercedes somehow doesn't get this," Mona mumbled. Calina normally would've been appalled by the woman's clear sentiments towards Red Bull, her old team, but given she knew the experiences Mona had, it was more amusing, if anything. Mona was never one to be silent about her treatment while working as a mechanic, as a woman of colour. The names she's been called, the comments she's received, the opportunities that had been taken away from her, despite her knowledge. Calina knew of a similar frustration and anger that came with all that, and she couldn't have been more grateful for what Horacio was doing with the Scuderia. It was one of the few safe spaces for women to succeed in their field.

"Look everyone, these results are not a far reach; I know full well that each and every one of you can do this," Marco said, addressing the group as a whole, earning nods and a chorus of murmurs of agreement in return. "On another note, and as I'm sure many of you know by now, Fabiano will be leaving us at the end of the season to enjoy his retirement. We'll save our goodbyes for after the race in Abu Dhabi, but I want to let you all know that many changes will be made following his departure."

A shuffling of team members was inevitable ever since Fabiano announced his retirement, and Calina had been silently hoping not much would change within her side of the garage. While she loved working with everyone, she especially loved her little team; she knew what they expected of her and they trusted she would deliver no matter how little she believed in herself or no matter what could go wrong. There was respect, trust and a mutual understanding among them all.

"By the end of the week, you'll all be made aware of these changes, but until then, let's focus on the race ahead. That's all for now."

"What do you know?" Calina was walking back to the garages with Mona and Gianna, knowing Elara would come to find her soon with another box of hats to be signed.

Gianna shrugged in response, checking her emails for the instructions sent to her by the engineers.

"It's more on the engineer's side," she replied, scrolling through the instructions displayed on her iPad. "As far as I know, our crew is good. By the way, how is development going for you?"

Calina's parts of the new engine design were still a massive work-in-progress. The turbocharger was done, only needing some final adjustment once it was pieced together with the other components. It was the I.C.E. that was throwing her off. Despite the countless hours she had spent learning under the Mercedes engineers for her degree, she couldn't figure out what was missing.

"It's the goddamn I.C.E. for me. You?"

"Those fucking M.G.Us." Gianna was shaking her head, likely disappointed in herself. "I can't fucking piece things together. I want to slam my head through a wall."

Tobias, who had been standing nearby, ready to help Mona attach the back cover over the car's engine, glanced over at the two women in slight concern.

"The fuck?" he muttered quietly.