Racing For Love

Chapter Eighty Seven

Sylvie, Maria and I were sat together - a chilled bottle of champagne between us as we sipped our drinks and waited for the rest of the S3DTM Consortium to join us. We were in São Paulo and in fifty-seven minutes, the press releases would be live and everyone would know about Primo Rosso Racing.

We were due to meet up a little later, but Sylvie had messaged Maria and I separately to the others. Both of us looked quizzically at her whilst she filled the champagne flutes, waiting for her explanation for the earlier gathering.

Sylvie's gaze became thoughtful, as we clinked our glasses together. She took a sip and set her glass down gently on the table. "Ladies, I want to take a moment away from the others to appreciate what each of you brings to this team and this consortium. In a world that's so often dominated by men, it's crucial that we not only have a seat at the table but also make our voices heard. Maria, your focus and diligence when it came to the logistics and paperwork was amazing - this is what enabled the deal to go through smoothly. Annie, you've shown incredible strength, determination and maturity at such a young age. I have no doubt that your presence here is going to inspire many, and allow doors to open for more young women to join our industry,"

I blushed at the unexpected praise, feeling a swell of gratitude toward Sylvie. Maria nodded in agreement, her eyes shining with pride. "Annie, you've already made an impact just by being a part of this consortium. I admit I had my doubts at first, but after meeting you, it's clear that your perspective and vision are invaluable. I can see why Sylvie brought you on board." She turned to Sylvie, raising her glass to our leader "You have such a skill in finding the perfect people, Sylvie. Our skillsets and knowledge compliment each other in the best possible way, and it would not have happened without you. So, cheers!"

Sylvie's gaze shifted between us, and there was a glint of excitement in her eyes. "Speaking of perspectives, I want to consider bring more women into our racing team - not just in the boardroom..."

"Are you suggesting...?" I began, my voice trailing off.

Sylvie smiled enigmatically. "After the discussion the other day, I think it's a good idea to consider a rookie from a lower formula. We would of course only consider the best, like whoever is leading F2 at the moment."

My heart skipped a beat. At the moment, the driver leading the F2 championship was Genevieve. Sylvie knew I was sponsoring her with The Stephens Foundation. Could it be possible that she would be driving in F1 next year? The F2 championship would be decided in Abu Dhabi along with the final race of the F1 season, and now there was a further layer of importance to the season finale.

We sipped our drinks again, and I cleared my throat, my tone thoughtful as I began to speak to the ladies next to me. "Do we have a plan beyond potentially taking on a rookie?" I began, as I saw Pete, Giovanni and Bobby walk across the bar towards us.

"We probably don't want to discuss it here," Pete said, smiling and taking a seat next to Sylvie. "But I have drawn up some options with Bobby and Gio. An extension and revision of the list Maria provided at the meeting in Mexico. Let's discuss it in the meeting tomorrow morning. We need to finalise it before we head to the track, and work out a schedule to announce."

As the other guys sat down, a waiter appeared with more glasses and filled them all, leaving a fresh bottle between us. I looked at my watch again - it was now twenty-nine minutes before the announcement. Everyone chatted around me, but I couldn't focus on it. I felt nerves bubbling inside me - this was the right choice, the best decision for my future, but I couldn't help feeling like an imposter. I didn't deserve this chance - I hadn't achieved enough in life, and I had just got lucky. I thought about the press release - Maria had sent us all the final copy with paragraphs about everyone's backgrounds and achievements. There were a few lines about me - my role at Bianchi, my family background. Would people just think I was another entitled child who had been given the opportunity of a lifetime?