Her || Charles Leclerc

3. I Will Try, Not Promise

The first day of work. Well, not entirely the first day of work, but the first day of work at the office. Matilde felt anxious, even though she had led the team for an entire weekend full of performance, media and team pressure. And she was nervous because it was Ferrari, the iconic and historic team at the iconic and historic office. She had been there once before, but most meetings were online.

Matilde entered the famous building. The realisation hit her as she saw the iconic prancing horse logo in the hall; she was part of the legacy that had captivated motorsport enthusiasts for decades. It felt very real now. At the track, it felt real, but also like a rollercoaster. And now entering those gates felt like she finally had entered the world of Ferrari.

"Good morning, Matilde," Galileo, her assistant, greeted the young team principal. He was waiting for her at the front desk. "Welcome to the office."

"Buongiorno," she replied, sharing one of the few words she knew in Italian, and nervously chuckled. Matilde tightened the grip around the straps of her bag and smiled.

The man smiled at the Italian greeting. "Let's go to your office." The young man with glasses and a moustache led her through the office. Galileo was one of the youngest people in Ferrari, he was one of the new generation. He used to be the right hand of the assistant of Binotto. When Binotto left, the assistant left as well, giving Galileo a promotion and a new person for him to work for. "Are you settled in your new home yet? What do you think of it?"

"It's amazing," Matilde smiled. "The team really did a great job. My family helped me to move in, so it's a delightful way to get settled."

"That is good to hear. Is your family still here?"

"Yes! Yes, they are. They're leaving tomorrow morning, but we drove past the office yesterday," Matilde replied and looked around. Every now and then, she got greeted and she said hi back. "Who fixed the apartment for me? I would like to thank that person."

Galileo shared a professional smile. "Of course, I will send Adriana to your desk."

"Sounds good," Matilde replied.

"So, this is where the hard work gets done," the assistant said and stepped inside an office space with glass walls. "I will be seated here," he said and pointed at his desk. He opened another door that led to another office. "Welcome to your office, Matilde."

Matilde stepped into the office space, scanning the room. Besides a desk, some cabinets and chairs, the office was empty. It still looked modern with a touch of Ferrari's racing heritage; miniature models of iconic cars framed pictures of legendary moments and drivers and more. The desk faced Galileo's small office. On the left, she faced a large window that offered a panoramic view of the bustling workspace of her team.

She walked further into the room, placing her bag on the floor next to her desk. A smile rested on her face. "Thank you," she said.

"I will give you some time to get settled. There are some manuals on your desk. I think today will be about getting to know things, and getting used to your new space, so there is one meeting planned at the end of the day."

Matilde nodded. "Yes, perfect."

"And if you need anything, just shout my name."

"Thank you."

As Galileo excused himself to attend to his own tasks, Matilde sat down in the chair behind the desk. She leaned back, gazing out at the hive of activity behind the glass walls. It was a symphony of coordinated effort, with each individual contributing to the orchestration of performances.

Her desk was clean and organised, awaiting her touch. As she logged into her computer, she faced a blank canvas for her to fill with plans, strategies and decisions that would shape the team's journey.