Fast Car (OC x Max Verstappen fanfiction)

2023 Mexico Grand Prix

(Kind of short, but some drama)

After coming in from the airport, I went to the team hotel and just crashed. I layed there for over ten hours, before finally dragging myself out of the bed, and scrolling through twitter. What I saw made me sick. Checo fans had basically taken my feed over, and they were pissed. Most were making some threat against Max, Redbull, Alphatauri, and even some against Lewis and I on the basis that if Lewis won, Checo would have his spot removed, and it may go to me. The thought was hilarious. Only when I scrolled down more did I actually start to get worried. Major threats under the hashtag #SaveCheco were aimed against Max. Worrying, I called him to make sure he was okay. I just needed to hear his voice.

"Ceceile? Are you okay?" He asked, his voice gravelly from sleep. "I just," I stopped, getting slightly embarrassed from my ask."I just wanted to hear your voice. To see if you were okay? I just started scrolling through twitter, and some of the tweets scared me.""I'm sorry I did not talk to you about that. Redbull knew it was coming from weeks ago, and we have plans in place.""Do you have guards? I know you have Harrison your personal guard, but I just worry he's not enough." I knew I was just worrying, but I was still kind of scared."Oh, uh Harrison asked for the grand prix off because of family stuff.""Max Emelian Verstappen. You are taking my security, as I have to much of it as is." We talk back and fourth for a little while, before he finally relents, knowing I only do this because I care about him. "Okay I-I love you," I said, and he stopped talking on the other end. "Shit, I didn't mean that, Or well, I did, but is it okay that I said that? I know it's delicate, and you don't have to say it ba-." He laughs on the other end, his natural accent pulling through"I love you too, Ceceile. And yes, it's fine." I smiled to myself, giddy at the words. He loves me. Oh shit. He loves me. I love him too. I shake my head slightly to get out of those thoughts, before driving to the gym Mercedes had told me to go to. There, I primarily worked on my form with the help of a mirror, before doing cardio. Before I knew it, it was late, and on to the next day of free practices. —- "Frederik Vesti getting 18th while driving the 07 of Ceceile Bianchi for FP1, Ceceile Bianchi 4th in FP2, and 2nd in FP3! That girl really rocked all our worlds! Has there been any news on contract status for her? She has a seat next year, right?""No team has come out with contracts yet, but there might be some behind the scenes work going on.""Okay, Ceceile! You know this course now, time to go to Qualifying!" Toto's voice rang through the headset I was wearing. "Yes! I heard some news about a new Ferrari strategy, and of course there's Max. Any news on Perez, though? I'm kind of scared he may do something.""Yes, We're working on a strategy for the race in case something does happen." I nod giving a thumbs up, before going onto the track. Only then do I see the cutest baby ever, and I get slightly distracted. I smile at Magnusson, before bending down to her height."Hej, hvad er dit navn?" She giggles, which is the most angelic sound ever."Jeg hedder Laura""Pleasure, Jeg hedder Cece." I curtsy, and she smiles. I offer her a high five, before smiling at Magnusson. He nods in gratitude. We were right outside the Redbull garage during this interaction, and when I looked up, I saw Max smiling at me with this look that I couldn't quite place. 

The next day is qualifiers, in which I can't get this stupid speed down. I was not scared of the car nessassarly, but on this track espissally you just went so fast. In the end, I managed to score P6 for the race tommerow. That night, I managed to sneak Max into my hotel for a little while, when we jsut talked... and kissed... but mostly talked. 

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"And away we go in the 2023 Mexican Grand Prix!" I was farther back than I hoped, P6 after a lousy qualifying with Perez right behind me, which actually turned out to be a blessing. On my lift, he whizzed by me, gaining far too much speed to go into turn two. I saw them turn around the first corner and then bam! Checo was to slow on the brakes, and rammed just straight into Leclerc, giving him some air and into the runoff section. I couldn't help it. I started cackling. I swerved slightly on turn three, before realizing I had to start laughing otherwise it would cost me the race. Hamilton was fighting Daniel for 4th while I was in fifth behind him as we went around more turns. We held for quite a few laps until lap 10 when Lewis got around Daniel, and I managed to harness a small slipstream in the thin air, and get around him as well. I was consistently .5 seconds behind him, going on some dirty air. "Hey Marcus? What do you want me to do? Should I back off to preserve the tyres? Lewis is doing well, so I don't mind staying behind him. Riccardos 2 seconds behind, so no real pressure," I say. I seriously don't mind backing off. "You're faster on the speed charts, and he's starting to get deprivation on the left rear tyre. Authorizing swap.""Oh, okay. Just tell Lewis to put a tiny bit more space between himself and Daniel so he doesn't overtake when we swap." I saw Lewis speed up a little soon after, and we switched positions only losing about .3 seconds. It's a DRS zone, so I manage to get in front by a second, and Lewis speeds up as well. I was about two seconds away from Sainz, and after Max pitted I was in 3rd. "Can you hold the tires for five more laps," Marcus asks me. I see Lewis pulling into pits, putting me in P3. Max had overtook Daniel and was now five seconds behind me. "I feel like I may lose my spot to Max. Maybe like three more?" I asked. "Copy."I was 1.5 seconds away from Sainz, and if I pushed a little I could bring the gap more between me and Max. 3 laps came and went, and I went into the pits. They put mediums on, and it was 2.3 seconds. I smiled, grateful it was not like my almost 6 second pit from the race before. I pulled out as Sainz pulled into pits. I was four seconds in front of Lewis in third again somehow. I hadn't lost places? Leclerc pit also, bringing our gap down. Max was now leading by over 17 seconds in front of Charles. Five seconds between us. Oh shoot! Safety car! We pulled around the crash and it looked bad. We were on the 35th lap when the red flag was called. Pulling into pits, Marcus told me what happend. Apparently the Haas car caught on fire. They should really check that out. 2nd time it caught on fire in five years. The fire was out by the time we pulled into pits, but they just needed to clear debris and fix barriers. I had the third newest tyres after Max, who pitted under the safety car, and Carlos who was after me. I get out of the car, and Max, Lewis, Carlos and I huddle up to talk for a few minutes before being called by our teams. Lewis and I both put on headphones to hear team orders. "Okay. We have a few things to talk about. Firstly, Ceceile." I flinch as Totos voice is directed at me. "Did you have to laugh? It was picked up by sky sports, and now fans are putting pieces together. We can figure it out, just don't talk to press about Perez." I confirmed I heard him, before he turned to Lewis. "Lewis, you're doing good, I just need you to increase the pace a little. They're going to take up the red flag soon, so go get ready," Toto says. I put my race suit on, getting ready to go when Max comes up to me. "Great job, Ceceile. You're doing such a good job.""Thank you. If you win, I'll show you how proud I am later," I say, and walk away, leaving a flushed Max behind. I climb into my car, as we're about to go. A few minutes later, they start bring us out. Max goes first, then Charles, then me. All of us had newish tires. Lewis and I had mediums and Charles and Max were on hards, so as we started I tried to slip by Charles. He blocked, and I had to slow around the first corner. I look in my mirrors, and see Carlos almost on the grass. I keep pulling up to Charles, only for him to freaking block me! We go around the track, and enter the DRS zone! I try to go around him in the straight, but he is a good defender. He pushes me off the track slightly. I push on the gas, kicking up dust, and getting around him. Lewis takes control of Leclarc slowing down, and gets around him too. Now it's just a 4 second gap between Max and I. "Ceceile?" My radio buzzes."I copy, Marcus," I replied. I know what he's gonna say even before he says it. "We're going to switch Lewis and you. He's faster on speed charts. Going around the 43rd lap, Hamilton squeezes around me, dropping almost no speed in the exchange. I dropped down to around a second behind him to get out of the dirty air. For a few laps, we just follow."Hey Marcus? Since I don't think much will happen, what's going on with the other drivers?""Oh, Ceceile! Uh, let's see. Piastri and Tsunoda are battling for sixth, and... Oh! Yuki's off the track! He's down to 16th now. Sainz is 6 seconds behind you, and Verstappen is 10 seconds in front of Hamilton.""Ten?!" "That is correct," Marcus replies. I sigh. For the rest of the race, we follow. "Great job Ceceile, I know it's not what you want, but Hamilton is now second in drivers championship!"Pulling into the podium spaces, I smile as I see Max standing in his car and celebrating. Lewis and I both then stand on ours, and wave. I can;t help but stare at Max as he does media work while I drink my water. After he's done, he slides next to me, and I swear his pinky grazes across mine. "So, about that celebration..." My cheeks flush pink, as I'm gesturing onto the media ring. "So, Ceceile, how was your race?""I think it was really good. I climbed three positions, and finished on the podium! Everyone at Mercedes is just so professional it's amazing!""Okay, I wanted to ask you this when it happened. When you were behind Max, there was a three second gap, and you were gaining, but at the end of the race there was a twelve second gap between Hamilton and Verstappen. Are there any hard feelings there?" I laughed to avoid the awkward ask of the question. "None at all. Lewis was trying to get second in the drivers championship! By putting him in second gives him the best outcome. Both Max and Lewis are incredible drivers, so no, no hard feelings.""Thank you, and final question, how did you feel about Checo's crash, it was heard on your radio that you were laughing?" I blew out a breath. Shit. "Um, Perez and I don't have the best relationship. I of course would never wish poorly on him, however there is a certain competitiveness that only the drivers will truly understand. That reaction was primarily out of shock, because I was not expecting that. Sky Sports did not pick it up, but immediately after I asked Marcus if he was okay." This was a lie of course, I had not done that but what they did not know did not hurt them. I left the circle, before grabbing my water bottle, and heading up. Lewis and I enter the cooldown room at the same time, with Max soon after. I grab my water, before looking at the tv displaying crashes, laughing slightly. This caused Lewis and Max to crack a smile. "I do feel bad for him. DNF on turn one of an important home race, but thank you Perez," I chuckled while Max laughed slightly. We watched other interesting moments, before it was time to go to podium. As I walked up with Lewis, I did not notice Max disappear until we got to the top. They were about to wave me on. "Wait, where's Max?" I asked. The guy just shrugged, and pushed me out slightly. The roar of the crowd meant they saw me. I waved, and went over to my podium. There, I waited for the fans cheering Lewis to die down, and was confused as to where Max was... then the floor opened. Right there was the red bull car in all its glory with Max Verstappen in a sombrero standing on it. I folded in half with laughter right then and there, crouching next to the Champagne as I got the giggles. Max hopped off, taking off the sombrero and giving it to an attendant next to me before offering his hand to help me up. I took it, and he started laughing a little too. "You are the reason why no one takes me seriously," I said to Max in between giggles. He bit his lip to stop from laughing, before going up to his podium. The dutch national anthem started playing, and I could not help but look up at my boyfriend in awe. My boyfriend. —After the podium, we went back to our various hospitalities and did closing acknowledgements, before it was time to go. I was one of the last people still at the paddock and almost the last person from the Mercedes period. I take my bag, and sling it over my shoulder. Now in regular clothes, I began the walk across the paddock to my car. A few of the garages still had people, with the HAAS garage pulling extra hours to fix their car that crashed. "Ceceile!" I heard a voice calling me into the redbull garage. It was Christan Horner and Max standing there. I smile slightly when I see him, and he smirks back. I feel like it's almost illegal to step into the Red Bull Paddock given I drove for Mercedes. Toto would kill me if he knew I was here. "Hello Christan, what can I do for you?" I asked, politely. He smiled softly, and I knew what he was going to say. He was going to offer me a contract. "Drive for us in 2024. Perez violated his contract two weeks ago, and in short we told him that it was going to be terminated early. If you're interested, we can draw up a possible contract for you," Christian said, and I just blinked in surprise. I looked over to Max to see his eyes almost begging me to join. "Why not? It's not like Mercedes has given me any contracts," I said. This made Christian smile, and Max shift in his seat. Weird. I nodded at the two of them before walking out. Hearing the sound of footsteps behind me, I turn to see Max there. I smile, and lace my pinky in his, to which he drops it. I stare up at him, confused. "I need to tell you something, Ceceile. But not here." I nodded, confused about what he was meaning. I step behind the HAAS garage, and he follows. Almost immediately he brings my head up to kiss me, before I push him off. "Max. Something is bothering you. Tell me." He looks uncomfortable. "It's about Mercedes. Checo- he told me only two days ago, but you did get a contract with them. He took it weeks ago, when you drove us home from the bar. I don't know how, but he found it., but he hid it somewhere." Hurt flashed across my face as I backed away from Max. He looked confused as to why I was reacting like this, which only fueled my anger. "I- I forgave you for not waking me to talk about the blackmail. I basically begged you to not hide stuff like that again, and not even a week later you violate my trust by not telling me about something that could greatly impact my career. I'm leaving Max. And you're not coming." I stormed off, furious at him, at Horner, who now that I replayed that conversation very obviously knew. However, a part of me was wishing, begging for him to say don't go. To explain, to just say something. I promised myself, if he just said those two little words, I would stay forever. (I've listened to 1989 vault tracks way too much)"Ceceile!" Not reconizing the voice, I turned around, hopeful, only to see Christian Horner. Blinded by rage, I raised my middle finger. "You're a piece of shit, Chistian." I walk to my car, before sitting in it and putting my head on the steering wheel. Fuck. Why at every turn does someone sabotage me. I grab my phone, clicking on the favorited contact. "Hey Toto," I greet as he picks up the phone. "Will you email over the 2024 contractfor Mercedes? Redbull stole my last one."

P1 Max Verstappen

P2 Lewis Hamilton

P3 Ceceile Bianchi

P4 Charles Leclerc

P5 Carlos Sainz

P6 Lando Norris

P7 Daniel Riccardo

P8 Oscar Piastri

P9 Alex Albon

P10 Esteban Ocon

P11 Pierre Gasly

P12 Yuki Tsunoda

P13 Nico Hulkenburg

P14 Zhou Guanyu

P15 Valtteri Bottas

P16 Logan Sargent

P17 Lance Stroll

P18 Fernando Alonso

P19 Kevin Magnussen

P20 Sergio Perez

3031 words