Petrol in his Veins // Charles Leclerc

28

The next morning, Jolie enjoyed the luxury of sleeping in a bit longer, as the race in Abu Dhabi was scheduled for the evening. After getting up well-rested and refreshed, she accompanied Charles to the paddock. Upon arrival, Charles was immediately engaged. Andrea led an intense training session with him, and in the medical center, the Ferrari team wanted to ensure that Charles was 100% fit to handle the two-hour race.

While Charles prepared, Jolie spent time with Isa. The two could chat about various topics, shared the same sense of humor, and got along famously. With Isa, Jolie had found another good friend in the racing world alongside Kika.

Suddenly, Isa burst into laughter, and Jolie looked at her curiously before glancing at the display of Isa's phone. In Danie's Instagram Story, there was a picture of Charles asleep at the table. Daniel had written, 

>>Hopefully more motivated today, Leclerc ;).<<

 Jolie couldn't help but laugh too. "Oh, he's going to hate this," she chuckled.

Hardly two minutes later, a selfie appeared in Daniel's Story, obviously taken just then. Daniel grinned broadly at the camera while Charles looked annoyed at him. The caption read, 

>>He's motivated!<<

 Jolie laughed again and shook her head. "He didn't really do that," she amusedly remarked. Isa could hardly stop laughing, and from some corner of the paddock, Lando's loud laughter could be heard, only intensifying the laughter of the two.

After the laughter tears had finally subsided, Jolie wiped a tear from her eye. "Okay, that was nice," she said, grinning and taking a deep breath. It was refreshing to experience such lighthearted moments in the hectic world of racing and be able to genuinely enjoy them.

Isa also wiped tears from her eyes and shook her head. "Oh God, these guys... They just know how to lighten the mood, especially before a big race."

Jolie still giggled. "Yes, exactly. Charles will pretend to be annoyed, but secretly, he'll love it."

They both laughed again as they watched Lando in the distance engaged in a lively conversation with Daniel and other drivers. He gestured at his phone and made a theatrical gesture, probably related to Daniel's Instagram Story.

"This will definitely be an interesting day," Isa remarked as she watched the spectacle.

Jolie nodded in agreement. "Definitely. With these troublemakers."

As they spoke, Carlos approached them. "Did you see it?" he asked with a grin, even before reaching them.

Jolie nodded and showed Carlos the picture on her phone. "Yes, Charles will definitely get back at him for this."

Carlos laughed. "Oh, definitely. He is probably already planning Daniels Downfall with Pierre"

Isa beamed at Carlos. "Why are you not part of that?"

Carlos smiled mischievously and pulled Isabella close. "I like to live"

Jolie observed the couple and once again felt grateful to be part of this community. Despite all the competition and pressure on the track, there were still these moments of friendship and joy that made life in the paddock so special.

The atmosphere in the paddock was laid-back and relaxed. Since the championship had already been decided, there was a noticeable ease among the drivers and teams. They were here to celebrate the conclusion of another season.

With about half an hour until the race start, Jolie and Isa made their way to the Ferrari garage. Charles had already changed and seemed lost in thought as Jolie approached him.