Petrol in his Veins // Charles Leclerc

27

The rising sun over Abu Dhabi bathed the morning in warm, golden hues as Charles and Jolie enjoyed their breakfast in the hotel restaurant. The previous night had done them both good, and although the final free practice session was yet to come, Charles seemed confident.

"I have a good feeling for today's practice," Charles said as he cut into his scrambled eggs. "The team has made some adjustments, and I believe the car will feel better today."

Jolie smiled at him encouragingly. "I'm sure everything will work out. You and the team have worked hard."

They continued to chat about the day, and while eating, Charles exchanged messages with his race engineer to prepare for the upcoming session.

After finishing breakfast, they headed to the Circuit Yas Marina. Upon arrival, Charles was greeted by some of his teammates. There was a mixture of eager anticipation and excitement in the air.

When the final free practice finally began, Charles showed that his confidence was not unfounded. Lap after lap, he got more comfortable in the car, and his lap times reflected his improving form. The adjustments he had mentioned seemed to be working.

At the end of the session, Charles found himself impressively high on the timing monitor, which brought a good mood and optimism to the Ferrari team.

"That went better than expected," he admitted to Jolie as he stepped out of the car and raised his helmet visor.

Jolie smiled proudly. "I told you. You and the team are incredible."

Charles nodded, his eyes filled with joy. The successful practice was just the boost he needed before the qualifying session. However, there was no time to rest, as the team had to prepare for the upcoming qualifying. But in that moment, everything felt possible, and Charles was ready to make the most of the upcoming race.

In the first qualifying segment, things went well for Charles, who placed fifth, with Carlos in fourth. In the second qualifying, Charles managed to move up to the third position, while Carlos took the fifth spot. A special joy filled Jolie when she saw that Pierre had made it into Q3. She remembered the conversation at the table yesterday and couldn't help but feel proud for him.

Now, the crucial Q3 was underway. Charles was one of the first to hit the track to set a quick lap time. His first timed lap temporarily put him at the top with a time of 1:27.509. He knew that there were still several fast drivers who could improve their lap times.

Determined and focused, he returned to the pit to wait for a few minutes. In the meantime, Carlos managed to clock a faster time and moved ahead of Charles. Max Verstappen and George Russell also found themselves in front of him. But the biggest surprise came when Pierre set an impressive time of 1:27.302 and positioned himself ahead of Charles.

Charles was not discouraged by this. After another out lap, he went all out. He wanted to secure at least the second position. Max Verstappen led with a time of 1:26.376, which was already incredibly fast and just narrowly missed the track record.

With bated breath, Jolie watched as Charles completed his lap. His driving style was risky but precise. He was faster than Max in the first sector, and in the second sector, he only lost minimal time. Jolie's nerves were put to the test as she saw him tackle the final corners with breathtaking speed.

Then he crossed the finish line, and the garage erupted in jubilation. Charles had done it – an incredible time of 1:26.101, a new track record, and the pole position for the race!

Charles' voice came over the team radio, his heart pounding with excitement. 

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