The Long Lost Sister (F1 x Eurovision)

Chapter 9

Lando's POV

I sat in the car ready for the start of qualifying, we had predicted the RedBull's will be quick in both quali and the race. It would be imperative for us to qualify as high as we possibly could to take advantage of our superior race pace compared to the other teams behind us.

"Alright Lando, let's go and have a good one out there."my race engineer Will spoke up on the radio.

"You got it mate."I replied as I drove out the pit lane.

"Ok you know the run plan Lando, we're going for one warmup lap into a push lap followed by a one cool down lap, let us know if you need to change anything."Will replied.

"Got it mate."I replied before driving round the Zandvoort circuit warming up my tyres.

As soon as I reached the last corner, I gunned it down the banking into the long straight going up the gears as I opened up my DRS. I braked as late as I possible could into the hairpin before getting on the power as early as possible down through turn 2 into the turn 3 banking, flowing the car through the high speed curvy section of sector 1. I then braked into turn 9 before opening my DRS flap for the second time in the lap, the next corner arrived much quicker though as I braked into the chicane round another small banking before heading towards the final corner. I drove right on the limit trying to extract as much lap time as I could before gunning it down the main straight with my DRS open for the final time whilst deploying all the battery I had.

"Alright Lando, great lap mate currently in P2."Will replied as I pressed the confirm button to relay that I heard his message.

"Please choose mode 4 strat 12 when you can please, mode 4 strat 12."Will replied.

"Are we safe from the cutoff point or do we have to go again?"I asked whilst on my cool down lap.

"No we are fine mate, please box at the end of the lap."He replied back.

As predicted by Will, we got through Q1 with ease and also got into Q2 without much difficulty. However, it was now where it all mattered, getting a lap in Q3 for pole position. I was feeling extremely comfortable with the car throughout the session and I felt like we had the pace over one lap to challenge Max in the RedBull.

"Alright Lando, we are going out first to set a banker lap you are going to be on used softs."Will replied as I pressed my confirm button.

I drove out of the pit lane once again onto the empty circuit. I quickly completed my out lap and went for it. I could feel that these soft tyres had definitely gone way past their tyre life, I had absolutely no grip at all for the major part of the lap but somehow still managed to improve by a tenth of a second.

"Everyone else around you is completing a lap or is on one now, so come back to the pits quickly and we'll give you a fresh set of tyres just be careful of impeding."Will replied as I sped up the car.

I made it back to the pits quickly and watched on a nearby screen to see max shoot up to the top of the leaderboard by two tenths of a second. As we only had about three minutes left in the session, I immediately left the pits as soon as I got my new tyres on. After weaving around the track and generating heat into my tyres, I went for it. The lap passed by pretty quickly for me and I didn't even notice it fly by as I focused fully. For a full minute after completing my lap I didn't know which position I had finished in until Will spoke into the radio.

"So that's P2 Lando, missed out by a two tenths still a mega effort from you. Well done we are lining up second and fourth tomorrow."Will spoke.

"Did I not improve by that much on my last lap?"I questioned.

"No you did by two tenths until Max pulled out a three purple sector lap."Will informed me.

"That RedBull is something else isn't it."I replied back still happy with my result but wishing I could've got pole.

"We'll have a good race from there tomorrow mate, don't sweat it."Will replied before shutting down the radio lines as I pulled into the P2 spot next to both of the RedBull's.

I got out of the car and congratulated both Max and Checo before I went and hugged my team who were waiting for me. There in the crowd I saw Stefania who just smiled and gave me a thumbs up as I nodded back at her beaming.

I waited for a while and drank some water before heading over to do my post qualifying interview. I finished that up went through the team debrief until it was finally time to go back to the hotel. Max and I had decided to go together as I met up with him in front of the track entrance.

"Mate what are you waiting for, lets go to the hotel I'm absolutely knackered."I replied feeling exhausted.

"Just waiting for Nia and Kelly, be patient mate."Max replied as I nodded back at him.

After a short wait, both of them arrived and we made our way back to the hotel. Both Stefania and I bid goodnight to Max and Kelly before heading up to our rooms.

"Congratulations on P2 today Lando."She spoke up.

"Oh thank you, although I still could've got pole."I replied back.

"Come on you were amazing out there and you will be amazing out there tomorrow too alright and how many times do I have to tell you call me Nia or Stef whatever you want."She replied back motivating me.

"Alright Nia, by the way how did you and Luna enjoy the experience today?"I questioned.

"Oh it was brilliant, I had so much fun and Luna being a fan herself is also incredibly happy that both Max and you are on the front row."She replied back.

"So does that mean, you will come to more grand prix's in the future?"I asked her hopefully.

"Yes I think I will Lando."She replied back whilst smiling.

"You know what, if I'm calling you Nia I want you to have a nickname for me too."I replied.

"Oh right, let me think."She replied as she pondered for a minute.

"I got it, I'm going to call you Lan."She replied.

"Oh my god I love it that's literally perfect Nia."I replied back happily as we arrived at her room door.

"Well goodnight Lan, I'll see you tomorrow."She replied as we stood awkwardly, before I even knew what happened she gave me as small peck on the cheek before heading inside her room.

I was completely shocked until I realised what happened a few seconds later as I felt the place she had kissed me on. A huge smile erupted on my face as i headed back to my room happily. What an amazing day this had been, first being on the front row and then getting a kiss from Nia on the cheek. I had already established that I liked Nia and that I had a crush on her thanks to Max's words of advice from earlier on. Now I was even more motivated to do well in the race tomorrow and also for the rest of the season, I would do it for Nia.