Fake It - OP

Chapter 9

The cars were all lined up on the grid as the announcers came over the speakers surrounding the circuit, announcing the starting grid. Across from the grandstand where Ange and I stood was a big projection screen of the track so I watched as the names were announced and pictures of the drivers flashed on the screen.

I cheered when the Ferrari drivers flashed up on the screen. I was a Ferrari fan after all. But I cheered too when a certain driver in orange flashed across the screen as well. 

I felt Ange's body heat beside me as we both looked over the track, watching one by one as the cars left their grid slots for the formation lap. the smell of petrol and the sound of racing engines met my senses and it was the best feeling ever. 

The cars slowly circled back around the track and as they lined up in their grid positions I lost all thought of anything else happening around me. Suddenly there was nothing but the race below. The lights on the track got brighter and the ones in the paddock seemed to dim. The cars drowned out and smothered the small talk and cheering until all you could hear was the roar of the engines, coming to life and ready to race.

"One last trip, you and me," Ange said, her quiet voice somehow reaching my ear. "This was worth every penny."

I turned to look at her. Although she wasn't crying, tears were welling in her eyes, my throat clogged and I looped my arm through hers, squeezing her close to my side. "Every penny."

We both let out a sigh and let the excitement sweep over us in place of the bittersweet sadness. The cars were all lined up on the grid and the lights had come on. Engines revved, so loud the moon could hear it.

And then the red lights went out and they were off.

Faster than my mind could process there were tires squealing and crowds roaring following the cars swerving and maneuvering around each other in the mad dash down to turn one. I followed the orange of Oscar's McLaren and didn't blink until I saw him turn out of turn one, surviving any turn one incident. Fernando Alonso wasn't so lucky, a piece of his front win lay on the track. And I looked up at the screen across from us and saw Hulkenburg had a puncture. 

but both Ferrari's still raced without issue. So did Oscar. 

 I let out another breath as I watched all the cars go out of sight, but my heart rate didn't slow. Instead, my eyes flew to the screen tracking the still closely packed cars. Oscar hadn't lost any positions, and he hadn't gained any yet either, but I watched closely as he gained on Ocon in the Alpine. Charles was challenging Max, but Max was too quick. He pulled into the lead by the seventh corner. Carlos was right behind Charles now. 

Please don't re-enact the Red Bull crash boys. I don't think my tifosi heart could handle it. 

Ange and I cheered along with the crowds of fans as the cars sped past us for the second time, completing the first lap of racing. It took Oscar three more laps before he had enough DRS down the straight to catch Ocon. 

The lap count ticked on. Max checked out and I got the sneaking suspicion that was probably going to be this year in summary. But so far it was a Ferrari two and three. Oscar and Ocon traded positions a few more times during the race and I held my breath every time. 

A penalty flashed up on the screen. Sergio had a five-second penalty for being out of grid position at the start. Little late, the race was almost at half a distance. But that moved Oscar up the grid if he could stay within the five seconds. 

"Come on," I whispered to myself.

In the last half of the race, I think I blinked a total of once a lap, and that was as soon as the biggest group of cars passed me. Ange was cheering beside me so loudly that I thought she might lose her voice. I cheered too. We laughed at ourselves, cringed when the drivers got close and held our breath when Ferrari decided to double stack their cars at their pitstop. Which was thankfully successful, for Isa's sake.