Deals with Daisy // LN4

1 ~ Touchdown

Sooooo - just a disclaimer - there might be many things that aren't accurate in this book in terms of people in Lando's life and team but it's called artistic license and wanting to make sure that the book is fun and not accurate! So if I'm wrong about anything... unless it's like obvious just let it slide.

For example: idk how long Lando and Max have been friends, I don't know when he left school... none of it matters because this is purely fiction!

Anyways - hope you enjoy! I'm weirdly nervous about this!

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Bahrain, Qualifying Day, 4th March 2023

Formula One was the peak of glitz and glamour. Not just in motorsport but in general. It was something I had heard about ever since I was five. Well... actually that wasn't true. It was probably closer to the age of ten that my best friend wouldn't stop talking about the dream of making it. Becoming an F1 driver and experiencing all the amazing perks that were meant to come with it. He was going to be World Champion. The best in the world.

Now that I was here, in the famous paddock at the age of twenty-two... I guess I was just a little let down. The whole thing a bit less impressive than I thought I was going to be but that could be my fault. It wouldn't be the first time I let my expectations get too high though.

It's hotter than I'm used to but it's Bahrain and not London so of course that's the case. Still, 20* at 11am was pretty decent from what the weather forecast had suggested for the beginning of March so I am guessing it's reasonably warm for everyone else as well. That's the first thing I noticed when I pause for a moment to try and take it all in, try and find the magic I heard so much about. Apart from that, there's just a lot of tarmac, concrete and noise from what I think are either the F2 or F3 cars on track?

Honestly I'm not sure, I didn't get the chance to do much research before I got here. I guess there's an element of excitement from those around me, a buzz running through the paddock with today being the first qualifying session of the season.

To me it was just a lot of colours rushing past me with serious expressions and cameras... there were lots of cameras preoccupied with the rainbow colours blurring together as they dashed around me. I adjust the sunglasses over my dull grey-blue eyes and proceed to fix my natural faded ginger hair in the reflection of my phone. The sun had put a good effort in of bleaching it somewhat over the years but I couldn't complain too much, the full-Italian genes allowing me to tan to make it all look somewhat decent. I take my time, standing to the side as I do all this before I lock my phone with a final check of the message that brought me here in the first place.

'Thank you and please don't take no for an answer.'

I had no intention of taking no for an answer. Well... okay, I would probably take no for an answer quite easily but I was a very stubborn person and I liked the job offer and idea. It would be really good for my career. But I'd be lying if I didn't admit that a whirlwind of a couple of weeks was what had resulted in me being here right now. Now that I was, I knew it was better to just commit to it. Probably. I wasn't a hundred percent sure I wanted this. Just like 82% sure. "Alright, lights out..." I mutter to myself as I continue the walk down the paddock, looking for the orange motorhome that I was here to disrupt.

Only if the occasion for it arose though. I wasn't just here to stir up shit and then bugger off, there was a purpose to my presence. I flash my orange guest pass to the person doing security on the doors who waved me through quickly as I notice the bored expression on his face and pause, noticing the opportunity to get settled in case this does go according to plan.

"Hi, I'm going to be here quite a lot, potentially. What's your name?" I ask him seriously, watching surprise as he sees me addressing him, confusing building on the face of the middle aged white man as I take steps back outside the door to stop in front of him.