Ashley POV
We watched the television as Alex finished talking.
"I just watched half of the grid telling the press they can't wait to meet you. Should I be worried?" Casey asked putting his arms around my neck from my back.
"That I will beat them? " I asked.
"I know you will beat them," He said kissing my cheek. I chuckled. "You know what I'm asking," He said standing beside me put his arms on my shoulders.
"Oh well this heart has someone else inside," I said.
"Really? Tell me more about him" He said.
"Well, he's fast. He is gonna be fantastic when I am going fast. He is lovely to ride. He brings the best out of me. And I love him" I said giving him a smirk.
"Why do I have a feeling that she is not talking about you? " Oliver my race engineer asked my boyfriend.
"Cause she is not. I don't know how I keep losing to race cars" He said and all of us chuckled. James Vowles, my team principal entered into the paddock.
"Ready for our conference? " He asked. I nodded.
" I'll see you then," I said to Casey. He nodded and pulled me for a kiss.
" Do good" He said when Alex entered.
"Hey there, ready? " He asked. " Yeah," I said taking a long sigh as I stood beside him.
"Let's do this together, shall we?" he said giving me an assuring pat on my back.
"Alright then. Let's go" James said as we made our way to the press conference.
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Third Person POV
"Well, the moment is here. Let's welcome the driver lineup of Williams this year. Alex Albon and Ashley King" Crofty announced.
Alex and Ashley walked outside waving hands to the audience. Alex moved a little aside and made way for Ashley. She jumped and made it on the stage.
They were handed microphones. "Welcome. Welcome. How are you doing?" He asked. Ashley looked at Alex telling him to start first.
"It's been good. All good. Never excited more. New teammate. Already my favorite teammate. Can't wait for the season" he said and the audience clapped their hands.
"And King" Crofty told me. She took her microphone to talk when there was a huge applause. She looked around with a wide smile.
"Thank you. Thank you, Guys. It's a pleasure. Can't wait to be on the track. Hope it turns out good" She said when they cheered again loudly.
Ashley and Alex Shared a look and her face looked flustered. He threw an arm around her when she covered her face with her face.
"You've made it Ash!.. You've deserved it" Alex whispered in her ears.
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"Is she coming?" Daniel asked his eyes fixed on the door as the drivers waited for the driver's briefing for the season.
"Of course, she is coming. All drivers are gonna come" Pierre said with his eyes also fixed on the door.
Lando and George made their way towards them. "Where is she?" Daniel asked.
"Last time we checked, Alex is her teammate," George said when they heard people entering. They watched eagerly but noticed it was only Alex.
"Hey! " He entered greeting all of them.
"Dude, where is your teammate? " Charles asked.
"She had to go through something with Oliver. She will be here" He said.
"Already? We've not even started with the pre-season testing" Daniel said.
"That's just how she works. She likes to know about everything before she gets into it" George said. All the drivers gathered around waiting to go in.
"If she is not here in the next 5 minutes, she is gonna miss the start," Carlos said when Lando chuckled.
"Ash is a lot of things. But she is never late" he said when she entered in. She noticed everyone around and had a warm smile on her face.
Lando immediately made his way towards her and attacked her with a tight hug. She wrapped her hands around him rubbing his back. Then George came and hugged her when Carlos gave her a fist bump.
"Ready for the season, Ashley?" Lewis asked. "Never been more ready," she said when they were asked to come inside.
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Ashley walked around the Paddock with her drink bottle. "Ollie, did you get those stats that I asked for?" She asked her race engineer.
"Yeah, just got it done," he said and she walked towards him. She put on her headphones and was discussing with Oliver when the camera panned on her. There was a loud cheer from the stands but she didn't even look up as she went through the numbers.
"Man, she is focused as a laser, isn't she?" Lewis said to George as they noticed the telecast. "She is the best out there," Toto said joining them.
Toto was like a mentor to Ashley because she shared the Mercedes driver development program with George. "You have no idea how difficult it was for me to choose between you two," he said pointing at George. George gave an uncomfortable smile looking down. Toto walked away when Lewis noticed his teammate.
"You ok?" he asked. He gave out a sigh. "At times, I feel it should have been her. I know I deserve this seat more than anyone can I did go to the extent to be here. But when I see her. She had to wait and work hard again when all three of us came into Formula 1" he said sadly.
"Is it why you don't talk to her much now?" he asked. George looked at him confused. "Come on man, the internet is full of videos of you four. Lando and Alex look the same. Not you" he said. George again put his head down.
"After all that. She is just super nice to me. So it's kinda..you know-" he looked at him. "Yeah, I understand. Is it the only reason?" Lewis asked. George again looked at the Broadcast and again focused on Ashley. But now she noticed it and gave the camera a thumbs up.
"Yeah, just that," he said slowly. The drivers took their cars out for their Practice section. Ashley drove her car in the pitlane. She drove past the Mercedes cars giving a wave to Lewis and George which they gave back. She entered the track and started driving.
"Ok Ashley, Radio check?" she heard her race engineer. " Loud and Clear, Ollie" she replied and began her driving.
After an hour of practice session, "Ashley, How is the car?" Oliver asked. "Guys...We have a lot to work on. We have a lot to work" she said as she entered the pitlane.
"Looks like she's not happy," Brundle said in commentary. "Well from what I heard Brundle, she always spends her free time in the factory with the mechanics, going through the design again and again to bring the best out of it. She also has majors in Aerodynamics which she did during the time she won the W series" Crofty Finished.
"God, she never disappoints, does she?" Martin said.
"Not from what I've heard" he replied.
