Racing For Love

Chapter Four

After pre-season testing, we continue with the social strategy, Matt, James and I working hard in our little sub-team to think of more content we can provide ahead of the first race of the season. We've got Bahrain to start and then Shanghai the following week, so it's there's a lot to do.

Given our strong performance in testing, the media has picked up our social content in addition to running pieces about the cars - Kate is really pleased with how we're working at the moment and our sub-team has solidified to the three of us running it. I love working with the guys, and have picked up on the way they work quickly, finishing their sentences and guessing requirements before I'm asked. Matt is more reserved but his detailed knowledge of F1 and our team far exceeds mine and James' which is great since James is more spontaneous with a gregarious personality, making him perfect for driving out social content - he's the one who started to lead, but Matt makes sure we don't make any technical mistakes. I started off nervous to join in - worried that my real world inexperience would affect us, but their gentle nurturing has given me confidence. My research from university fills in the gaps with Matt and James' knowledge and as a response, our engagement and follower numbers are growing daily.

With the season starting in Bahrain, the guys are heading out early to get some content set ups in addition to stuff with the drivers. Whilst i'd love to be there, I know that i've not earned it yet, plus I can keep control of things from the offices. There's only a small percentage of the staff that go to the races so I'm not worried about being here alone, and it gives me a chance to spend some time with some of the other guys in the office since i've been focussed so much on the social media side. Kate has asked me to shadow her through some of the sponsor meetings, and as much as i'm enjoying what i'm doing, i'm looking forward to understanding more of how the marketing department works.

As I get into the office, my phone has been pinging all morning with messages from Matt and James - our group Whatsapp filled with memes and ideas for content - It's Friday and that means FP day on the opening weekend of the season, so lots going on. I spot another more unexpected message. "Good morning Miss Annie" it begins. My face immediately flushes as I see Lorenzo's name on my phone. "I hear you will not be in Bahrain to see the first race - this makes me sad. I was looking forward to seeing your smile as I win" I let out a chuckle as I read - the guy is confident, I'll give him that, but I'm also shocked that he's thinking of me. This is the playboy of the F1 circuit, the one they picture with a different woman at every race. "I'm sure there will be plenty of smiling women to see you win" I reply, trying to squash the feelings of jealousy that unexpectedly bubble up. I put my phone down, and it beeps with another message, which I leave as I make a coffee, before finally picking my phone up to see "I would much rather see you." Lorenzo has replied and despite all my better judgement, I smile, feeling a little flattered.

Kate ushers me in to the board room as we set up for the sponsors - we are meeting two today, the coffee guys and a sportswear company. Both are big sponsors for us, and the sportswear brand is new for this season, Kate explains, though I'm already aware having studied our livery for this year. The Federici coffee brand is first and we set up with signed merchandise and promotional items. They have sponsored for a long time - the CEO is friends with Andrea Bianchi and their brand is aligned with our coffee machines. I felt nervous going in - worried as to Kate's expectations for me, but she reminds me I am shadowing, so not expected to be hugely involved.

As the meeting begins, it's clear this is more of a pre-season catch up and it's relaxed, plenty of discussions about the drivers, the season and which races they are planning on going to. They are all laughing about the mini signed driver's helmets we've given them as they leave - lots of jokes about them fitting the driver's heads, and discussions about seeing them at the race in Monaco. It's so exciting to be involved in this kind of meeting and I'm on a high as we prep for the second one.

The second meeting is nowhere near as simple. Mark brought these guys on board and without him, we quickly realise that he promised on things that simply can't be delivered. The quick meeting turns into a long afternoon where we have to dial in Mr Bianchi from Bahrain and bring up one of the guys from the legal team to go through the contract.

Their sponsorship is worth hundreds of thousands and suddenly it becomes a fraught situation where we're on the edge of loosing them. Nobody can quite work out how Mark completed this deal, or how he got it through initially. What we do realise is that he completely screwed us over with amendments and emails that nobody here has ever seen before.

Instead of sitting in the background, I'm running around and helping to solve the situation. I've got to know Kate well and we have an unspoken language which is helping dealing with this problem and I get involved with some of the intricacies of the new deal we're working with. We continue hashing things out as the afternoon goes on but by the end of the day, negotiations are complete and we've managed to keep them on board, just. There is still a lot we need to prove during the season, including driver performance, but they're sticking with us for now and the relief everyone is feeling is palpable as we sign our guests out of the office.

By the time I check my phone again, P1 and P2 are over, and I have 15 messages from the guys asking for my input/showing me some of the cool things they've seen during the day. We schedule a video of the pit crew stretching out to Rihanna's Work" - the music fits perfectly with what they're doing and it's one of the funniest things I've seen, or I'm so exhausted from today that I'm delirious.

I'm just finishing off some work at my desk when Kate comes over and asks me to join them for drinks. "Annie, I'm so impressed with how you handled today. It was beyond what anyone expected and you were exactly what I needed." I can feel my face glowing with pride under her comments and accept the offer for drinks. I can check in with the nursing home on the way, and it will be nice to socialise with more of the office crew, especially after the stress of the day.

During drinks, Kate talks more openly - the wine relaxing everyone after a busy day. Kate started as an apprentice at Bianchi and has worked her way up, completing her degree and masters part time. It's interesting getting to know her background, and also how supportive the company has been of her. She mentions Joe also, a fondness in her voice as she recalls him spending time in the department when she was still a junior marketing executive. I had hoped that I would avoid being linked with Joe when I took the job at Bianchi because I didn't want people to treat me differently, or think that it was down to nepotism that I had got my position, but I love hearing about the side of Joe I didn't see so much - his warmth for family and friends extending to work colleagues too.

***

Walking back into the office for Saturday's FP3 and qualifying feels different - I've bonded with more of the team and although we're working today, the screens are all on around the office and it's a more casual day, with us all expected to watch at least Lorenzo and Jono as they head out for qualifying.

The guys perform incredibly, easily getting into Q3, but just as they're heading to the final stages, Jono spins out and ends up qualifying P7. There's disappointment across the office - this is not the start he needed - he's such a kind, friendly person that everyone is secretly rooting for him to do well.

Lorenzo easily qualifies P1 and Matt and James have some excellent content from today - we run through what they've got and I immediately start to edit and plan stuff out. The incredible highs of the last two days motivating me to keep going and it's soon another late night, and a second night I'm missing seeing Uncle Joe after work. I feel such guilt not seeing him since I'm his only family, but I assuage my guilt by knowing I'll spend most of tomorrow with him - I try and watch as many of the races as I can with him - he often dozes off in the middle and with Bahrain being a night race, I don't know how much of it we'll see, but at least we can watch the build up and the start.

I get to the nursing home at 1.00pm, just after Joe's had some lunch. Coverage starts at 1.30pm and we discuss cars, teams and strategy for the track. Joe's knowledge coming from years as team principal and his experienced ability to read any track. I message Matt and James - some of what Joe is saying is perfect for content, which they can add to some of the pictures and videos they've got this morning. Smiling about Joe's comments, we settle down before we hear those immortal words uttered: "It's lights out and away we go!"