MON CHÉRI | Charles Leclerc

06

Today was the first day of the Australian Grand Prix and to say that Emelia was nervous would be an understatement. She usually did a good job hiding it but if anyone would ask why she was acting so nervous she could just blame it on being at Daniel Ricciardo's home Grand Prix, like have you seen that man? She didn't want people, specifically Luca and Mario to worry about her. It was not like she had to drive the car, she just struggled with social anxiety, especially at events like these. What other reason would there be for a 24-year-old girl to live alone in a villa in Italy?

Her luck was her tongue, no one really assumed a bold girl like her dealt with anxiety but she shouldn't worry about the Grand Prix too much. She was a guest at Ferrari so not in the middle of the crowds. Yet Emelia knew there were going to be eyes on her, especially from the paparazzi and that scared her.

After putting some basic makeup on, deciding what to wear, and breakfast it was finally time to leave for the track. ''So Luca told me about your little crush on a certain Mclaren driver,'' was the first thing Emelia heard when she got in the car. It was in times like this you could still see the young side of Mario, well the American side. ''I'm not even going to try to deny this one.''

''Guess that means we're going to have to make a stop at Mclaren,'' Luca teased trying to get a rise out of Emelia.

Yet she didn't cave, "Sure, I could easily bag him,'' she probably could but did not really want to. He was just a guy she found hot, that's all.

''I'm sure you could Cariño," Mario said making the girl smile. Mario was some sort of fatherly figure for her. When her dad passed he and her own grandfather took that role.

When the trio arrived at the paddock they got a pass she had to scan, she remembered this from when she went as a little girl. Just like then not really caring about the sport but having fun on the trip. She liked the picture of her that was on there, probably having to thank Luca for that. ''Come on kids, let's get to the motorhome.''

Walking in the paddock felt like some kind of fever dream, she recognized some things but a lot has changed here in the past 15 years. Yet not much had changed at the Ferrari motorhome, sure there were different people, cars, and drivers but the atmosfera was the same as Emelia remembered. Being a 6-year-old, meeting Michael Schumacher which was supposed to be a big deal. Now she understood he was important in the sport but back then he was just a guy in red.

''Mattia I would like you to meet Emelia, she's Luca's best friend and like a daughter to me," she was faced with a curly haired very Italian-looking man she later learned was the Ferrari team boss and close friend of Mario. ''Buonguorno, I'm Emelia,''

''Ah, I have heard a lot about you from Mario but also Luca,'' he shook her hand. ''Only good, I hope?''

''Certainly not Em,'' Luca joked, ''Nice to see you again Mattia.''

''Piacere mio,'' Mattia smiled, ''Carlos come over here,'' he turned to a man who was just like basically everyone in the motorhome completely covered in red. ''Emelia I would like you to meet Carlos, he is one of our drivers. You've met Luca before, I think?'' he now turned to the man she learned was Carlos.

''I remember yes, you are with Mario right?'' he said with a thick Spanish accent turning to Emelia and flashing her a smile, ''I'm Carlos.''

''Well, it's very nice to meet your Carlos,''

''The pleasure is all mine,'' he smoothly replied before Mattia asked him, ''Is Charles still in his meeting? I would like him to meet our special guests as well.'' Emelia would like to say the first thing she thought about in that sentence was special guests, she didn't really see herself and Luca like that because there were some people far more famous here. Yet the first thing she thought about was Charles, not the one Mattia and Carlos were talking about, she didn't know him. Emelia was thinking about the Charles from the cafe, wondering if he would visit her favourite coffee spot this week. She also felt a bit guilty, she didn't really know Charles but being here at Ferrari was probably his dream.

''Si, he is but I'll send him here after the first free practice.''

author speaking!
very short chapter but i have a lot of fun in store. can we just talk about how crazy australia was? like what, it was way tooo much for me to comprehend at 6 in the morning but definitely worth waking up for. carlos his time penalty (🥲) and charles, george, pierre etc etc.