𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚 𝙁𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙 - Charles Leclerc (CL16) [Book 1]

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗

CARLOS SAINZ FINISHES P2, HIS FIRST PODIUM OF THE SEASON.

The commentators cheer as the chequered flag is waved. I do a small cheer from the Paddock Club, not wanting to attract too much attention. Raegan is smiling behind me, and gives me a small hug when the result is on the screen.

Lando finishes P5, he'll be happy with this! Raegan says he'll be disappointed to not have a podium but it's still better than he was performing last season so he should be happy.

Kelly and Lily had joined us in the Paddock Club halfway through the race. They had mostly sat at a table and had some food and drinks whilst the race was on, but I was so captivated by my first race that I spent most of my time looking over the balcony as the cars went past.

Max had finished P1, so Kelly was happy. As I watched over the balcony and cheered, she came and grabbed my arm.

"Hey Li, want to go watch the podium?" NO BRAINER

"YES, YES I DO!"

"Come on then, we'd better run."

She grabs my hand and we run through the paddock, we run into the Redbull Garage and out the other side. She shouts to the mechanics that I'm with her, as we're out the other side and sprinting towards the podium. I see some of the Ferrari employees who recognise me, from having been hanging around Carlos, as Kelly and I run towards the barrier.

"Liana, do you want to go to the front?!" Asked one of the engineers.

Before I even had a chance to say yes, they'd moved out the way and were ushering me to the front. We line up against the barrier, I lean over slightly - and can see Kelly a bit further along smiling and waving at me.

Max pulls up in Parc Ferme, followed by Carlos who parks in front of the Number 2, and subsequently Charles - who finished in P3.

Max gets out his car, takes off his helmet and runs to jump on his team, they all cheer and pat him on the back. Max gives Kelly a kiss, which is so cute. But it's then when I notice the camera. It's not as if we are trying to be particularly discreet, it is just that we don't want people to assume what we are and what is going on before we even know it ourselves.

I turn around, to see if I can sneak out the crowd - but there are so many people I can barely move. I hope Carlos isn't mad when he comes along and sees me at the front of the crowd.

Maybe he'll just ignore me? I wouldn't be too mad if he did, maybe the gossip would calm down.

I see Charles and Carlos both get out the car, wait for each other before running over to the team. They both jump on the engineers and team members beside me before Carlos notices me stood there. He had taken his helmet off by this point, and honestly, he was NOT mad that I was there. His smile was so bright, and wide.

"Linda, you came?!" He gave me a huge hug over the barrier, I felt my feet lifting up off the ground a bit.

"Of course, you're not mad?! Kelly bought me down."

"Why would I be mad?" He looked confused, he WANTED me there!

"I just thought, because of the media and the cameras you know?"

"Oh fuck them, I won't kiss you here though - I'll save that for later."

"Well done patata." He gives me a wink, another damn wink and carries on moving down the crowd. I was watching him with such admiration I hadn't noticed who was next approaching me.

"Good race Charles," I said, as he looked at me.

He looked at me, then walked right past without saying a word. Maybe he's finally taken a hint and decided to leave me alone? Who knows.