Life in the Fast Lane

Chapter Four - Off to a good start

I give a quick hug to Daisy and my Dad before heading off to do interviews. I shake my hair out as I am drinking on the way.

"okay so first we're doing, doing sky sports f1 live, ESPN then we'll take it from there." I nod as we went to speak with Mark Webber. Due to the pandemic it was now like a paddock of us doing the rounds of interviews

"Kaia, thanks for joining us. What a introduction to F1 P4. What are your feelings?" i grinned broadly.

"Just pure happiness. To come into the sport that I have not only been watching for years but working my way towards to finally be here and finish P4 in my first race is surreal." I nod

"So you started off from sixth and we watched you keep in the posts position. How do you maintain that level of stamina or how will you maintain it going forward?"

"For me its all about the head space. Just keeping it in my head that the goal is to stay in points Qualifying through to the actual race. Raising up through the ranks as it were i've had a lot of time to figure out what works and what doesn't. It also helps that I have a point to prove being a female driver."

"Being the only woman to hold a current seat does that put any added pressure on?"

"It does a little bit, but i've gotten used to it. Female drivers are like a handful to men drivers. The pressure being only woman isn't really high it's more of a point to prove. We can become f1 drivers we can be just as good as good if not better. I see this as a opportunity to show what women can do when they put their mind to something."

"okay last question before you go. What are your goals for the upcoming season?'

"The main goal is to stay in the points to not drop below 10th position. If I could get a podium that would be amazing. But my main focus right now is getting the points and getting through relatively unscathed."

"All right thank you Kaia."

"I know that a lot of question coming my way was going to be about the only female driver holding a seat. I think if they hadn't been that it would have been anti climatic. Going through the season those questions will fade and it will hopefully about how I've done in the race."

"I think Kaia's first race really set out who she wants to be as a driver and as a member of the Haas team. Seeing her being the only Haas car left to get to a points position throughout the race and then finish in fourth was amazing. Just amazing!" -Guenther

"Kaia congratulations on making forth place in your debut race" Simon Lazenby nodded

"Thank you."

"So working with Haas, drivers in the bast since there debut haven't managed to rank as higher place during any of their races. What do you think you've done differently to them?"

"To be honest I don't know. Kevin and Romain are amazing drivers and they certainly have a lot more on me. So it's anyones guess what's different." I shrugged remaining neutral

"Moving onto your team mate Nikita Mazapin had to retire leaving you to carry the weight of your team carrying points, what's your view point."

"We're rookie drivers, a lot of this season is made with 'rookies' or not been in F1 for long drivers. This is the first race out of 22 and it's not exactly desire but it's not a complete disaster either way. I'm sure that going through next races he will pick up the pace and points."

"Coming..." I squealed as I was lifted up into the air

"Fourth place, home girl got fourth place." Daniel cheered and then let me down laughing

"You are so distracting, be off with you. Shoo" I giggle "Sorry about that."

"It's fine."

"Yeah, not easy to focus but are you really a F1 driver if you haven't had Daniel Ricciardo gate crash and interview?"

"Actually probably not."

"Maybe not, it feels like a right of passage" I joke. I then moved on and on my way back Pierre, Charles, George and Alex tackled me. "Oh fuck!"

"Little Jenner fourth place!" They lifted me up on their shoulders. These guys were crazy but I loved them. All of us came up together and are literally ride or die friends. They took me back to the Haas motor home.

"Uncle Pierre! Uncle Charlie! Uncle Alex! Uncle George!" Daisy screamed seeing them.

"Daisy!" they let me down and Daisy ran over to them. She jumped for Pierre first as she chatted with the others animatedly. I smiled tearfully and gulped down. There was one Uncle missing. I wiped away the fallen tear

"Baby its time to get your things and get you back home."

"Okay. Bye guys." she ran off and they turned to me

"Kaia." they knew. I shook my head as they tackled me into a hug

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There was two weeks between the first and second race. So I headed back home, while keeping up with everything being a driver requires. I was back to taking Daisy to school, like right now.

"Daisy, shoes!" I call packing up her lunch and putting it in her school bag. She came running out and putting her shoes on. I then grabbed her coat and she slipped into that zipping it up. She then took her bag as I got I jacket and my car keys. "Let's go." we left the house and got into the car. Pulling out I made the drive to school.

"Maman peut-on pratiquer mon français ?" Daisy asked. She was being taught by Pierre to speak French.

"Oui" and the two of us conversed in French for the remainder of the ride. I dropped her off and then headed for my training session. My phone rang and I glanced at the screen then pressed the answer button on my steering wheel.

"Kaia."

"Pierre, where you ears burning? Daisy and I were just conversing in French like you taught us." he chuckled "Also I'm filming for you tube, just to warn you."

"Okay, okay. hi you tube." he joked making me chuckle "I just wanted to check that you got home okay. You forgot to message me."

"Sorry, Daisy and I fell right asleep after we got home and then had to be up for school."

"Is she okay?"

"She's good. Tired but good."

"Is she going to be in Italy?" he wondered as I pulled into the car park of the gym.

"No. She picked four races Bahrain, Monaco, Texas and Abu Dhabi. Look, i just arrived at the gym I will talk to you later okay?"

"Okay au revouir." he hung up and I went inside for my training session. I did errands through out the day and had a couple of meetings before going to pick Daisy up from school. I helped her into the car.

"Mom, where will I go when you're racing?"

"You're not going anywhere. Pop will be coming over here for the weekends I'm racing and there are a couple of times that you're staying with Lovey. I will take you to school the day I set off and she will pick you up. Your routine will be normal, we'll speak over zoom. I have worked it out with them." i scratched the side of my nose and glanced at her via the rearview.

"Do you think it would be helpful to you for me to get a calendar for you to see when I have my races and who will be looking after you?"

"Yeah, I think so." I hummed and and we picked one up on our way back home. The two of us filled in the calendar together and then Daisy did her homework.