𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒, 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐍, 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒, charles leclerc

𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 (𝐲/𝐧)

✧༺♥༻∞

about (y/n):

My parents always showed more of a fondness and liking towards my older brother, Carlos. Mostly my dad, but I can see, at times, that my mom leans towards my brother when it comes to decision making. I always had to give something up so he could pursue his dream in karting as a kid, up to his dream of being in Formula 1, until my dad got into F1, and he was getting well paid, but they still continued on with their favouritism. I watched Carlos at every single one of his races, from when he started, till he was finally put into f3, when i was 13. (this is made up i literally dont know when he was in f3 cuz i cba to search up when he was in f3. )The passion he had in his eyes when he sees a go kart, or an actual racing car is amazing. I can see how absorbed he is, and how this sport had taken over his life, and because of that, it chipped away parts of my childhood that I wished so desperately to acquire. From having to quit horse riding, and many other sports, to having to almost stop school for us to be able to afford his karting. Muy parents never acknowledged the fact that they have a daughter, whos desire and passion was growing for those racing cars. I remember, at age 12, when I begged my parents to let me start karting, to let me follow in my older brothers footsteps. But they refused. age of 10, my dad was racing in F1, he made millions, but he used them in split seconds. So much was invested in my brothers future, then in paying for everything else my brother needed,nothing was left for me. Until one day, my mom held my hands in hers, and told me the best news I could've ever heard, and without that, I wouldn't be where I am today.

"I convinced Papá. You're starting just where your brother started. Karting." She smiles, waiting for my reaction.

I knew I should've been happy, I was, but I was still so so curious as to why I couldn't start earlier.

A huge smile spread across my face for a second, before I tilted my head and looked at my mom with furrowed brows. "But, Mamá, Why were you so reluctant before to let me start earlier?"

Her smile stays, but turns into a pitiful one. "Oh, you don't know how cruel to world is to us women." She said, rubbing her finger on my soft cheek.

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see, once you get up there, into formula 1 with your brother." She smiles bigger than ever. A sense of pride and happiness fills me as I realize, she believes in me.

"I won't waste this opportunity." I say, triumphantly.

"I know you won't, Querida (darling/dear in spanish) , but you must know there will be much more holding you back once you get into F3. Much, much more than what your brother is enduring."

"Mamá, I can take care of myself. I'm almost 14." I giggle.

My brother came out of no where and hugged me. "Rule 13. Where one goes, the other goes too." He says, talking about how we made a rule to have the same job and be together forever. "But, don't get in my way, Hermana (sister in spanish) . I won't forgive you for it."

A tiny smile formed on my face. "Rule 14. Don't hold each other back."

He high fived me and started to walk away. "I'll be excited to race against you one day."

"I'll be excited to win against you one day." I yelled after him.

At the age of 16: I finished karting and got into f1 academy. Carlos had moved up to f2.

At the age of 17: I finished f1 academy and I was in f3. Carlos stayed in f2.

At the age of 19: I won f3 championship and got into f2, and thats where I started to understand what my mother had told me 4 years ago. Carlos was already in f1. I had gotten so much hated for being a girl in this sport, i would nearly cry myself to sleep. it left me in a state of depression, but i pushed on.

After a few months, I decided to retire from racing, waiting for everyone to forget. No one knew I had had a deal with Redbull for next season. Christian Horner stated in an interview: "We're replacing Daniel with someone, someone faceless. We don't know who they are, it doesn't bother us though. This person is fast, they're talented, they have all the requirements to be a phenomenal racing driver, and possibly, one that will push Max to his limit, even beat him."

At the age of 20: I joined redbull. My parents knew about this, but thought I should just let people know about me. I refused. I would not go back to my 17 year old self, hating myself, wondering why I couldn't be respected like all the other drivers just because I was a woman.

Redbull is like my home. After they heard my voice, obviously the fake one that's deeper, I was told I sounded like someone who would be called Jaden, so that's what they went with. I am being called Jaden, and I have been for the last year. But, I won't be for long. Once I win this championship, I'll be the first woman ever to win one, the first woman that got into F1. I will make history. I will change everyones minds by showing them that a woman can do just as much as a man.

Hiding from the public is possibly the hardest thing I have ever done. When walking passed crowds and racing, I have to wear a bra that squeezes everything down so you can't see my chest, making me look like a man.

It's difficult to escape the verbal, mental and sometimes physical assault that happens when interacting with people during race weekends. Verbal, in ways they scream, and call me names right in my face for not showing who I am, to mental, where all those things pile up in my mind and slowly kill me, to physical, when people try to grab the hood off my head, or try to tear off my mask, or literally grab my sunglasses and nearly stab my eyes out, but no one has managed to far.

In the redbull headquarters and paddock, everyone is respectful. They knock and ask if they're allowed to come in, if my sunglasses get lowered a bit, or if my hair is showing, they point it out for me. When I'm wearing headphones and i have to pull my hood back, they refuse to look at me, which i find funny, but nice. They understand the privacy that i want, and that's something i look for in a team.

If I could take back what I said about showing my face after winning a championship, I would. The fear of it destroying my career haunts me every night, but whats said is said, and it has to be done. Once you give someone so much hope, you never take that back. And giving hope to over a million people that I will be revealing my face and just letting them down by not doing it is unfair.