GREENE | CS55

21 - Refreshing

VIETNAM | HANOI
APRIL 4, 2020

"What do you know?" Pierce huffed at Holden, and not for the first time this morning. The amount of eager frustration she held behind her chest since this morning had grown to an unbearable level, and due to proximity, Holden ended up at the brunt end of it all.

If it wasn't already enough that the two had to deal with the question as it swirled through the paddock in Vietnam, stinging through peoples eardrums like the smell of slightly sweet sauces and freshly sautéed foods on the streets of Hanoi since the arrival and rapid start to the race weekend on Thursday.

The rumors had been swirling through the mouths of the grid, growing rapidly by the second. It kept Pierce on her toes since the inception of the rumor. She couldn't even recall where she had heard it first, as it was a topic of conversation everywhere at this point. Sports broadcasters were releasing premature articles with little-to-no helpful details and very standard wording. Engineers were whispering behind the veil of wheel guns and drills. All Pierce knew was that this was something she had to keep her eye on the pulse of, and that doing so shouldn't be difficult.

After all, it wasn't every day that a massive change such as this rippled through, causing a massive change in order. A disruption to the peace.

A refresh.

A new start.

"I know nothing! I told you! I've heard nothing!" Holden responded defiantly. Pierce had finished a short burst of media duties in the pen, and now walked side-by-side with her manager back to the Haas motorhome for a quick debrief and cooldown before Quali.

The hot Vietnamese sun caused beads of sweat to cling to the back of Pierce's neck, which she swiped at as she let out a grunt, wiping her slick fingers on the front of her shorts, "Bullshit, Holden!"

"You can continue to think that, but I'm not hiding anything from you."

Deep down, she knew that the image she was already painting in her mind was a long shot. But Pierce still couldn't help the spark of hope ignited in her mind at the whispers of a Ferrari seat opening up.

The cherry sheen of the bright red and speckled yellow prancing horse was one that called to her ever since she saw racing as a career on the horizon for her. When she gained the opportunity to further her training at the Ferrari Junior Academy, it only deepened her love for the team.

Solidified it. Made it a goal.

However, her shoulders heaved with the realization of how things were in terms of pecking order. Unfortunately, with her track record and her father owning Haas, there was no chance she was on the roster of those considered for the prospective available seat at Ferrari that everyone was whispering about.

"It must mean Vettel is out," Pierce speculated. Holden shot her a look of annoyance. "There's no way it's Leclerc. I've heard Seb has been unhappy with the team for months now."

"Did Seb tell you himself?" Holden responded. Pierce clicked her tongue, looking off at the crowds of the paddock around them, ignoring the sweat building a layer across the pores of her skin. She tugged at the nearly-damp material of her fireproof layer, for once wishing she could run off to do a cold plunge. "It's all talk, Pierce. Now would you please let it go?"