Right On Track

Chapter 55

"What do you mean I can't race?"Kiara scoffed,crossing her arms as Santiago showed her a report on the car.
"Kiara,it's the internal-"
"I was supposed to join qualifying in ten minutes."She groaned in frustration,pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Kiara,"Christian said."I'm sorry,but there's not much we can actually do about it at the moment."
"So,no qualifying today?"She sighed."So,I start from the back of the grid?"
"Umm,Ki."Santiago said."You're not listening.You can't race tomorrow either."
Kiara put her hands on her hips,shaking her head.It was the Singapore grand prix...Literally the place where she had gotten her first podium in F1.It was also one of her favourite circuits throughout the calendar.
But she couldn't even race this time.Apparently there was a problem with the internal combustion,as well as a fuel leakage in the car.Looking back,it was a repair that was supposed to be carried out after the race in Monza,where she lightly hit the curb on the chicane.
Kiara sighed,then went to her drivers room.
"Stupid leakage."She muttered,getting out of her race wear,since there was no point to even wearing it this weekend anymore.
She put on her Red Bull shirt and denim shorts,then left with a sigh.
She stepped outside,seeing so many people already involved in the upcoming qualifying session.
Kiara couldn't help but frown to herself as she met up with Lydia.
"Your interview is moved earlier because of what happened."Lydia said,walking with her to the media pen while avoiding those journalists around who tried to stop her and ask about the issues.
Kiara nodded,not wanting to say much.As it was,this week was already going downhill for her.
Mostly because she couldn't get certain things out of her head.
She finished up the interview and left the media pen,hearing the cars even from where she was.
She went to the hospitality and just sat down by herself at a table as Lydia had to leave and sort out something.
A minute later,Kiara looked up at the TV screen nearby.
Taking a sip of the water in her hands,she watched the qualifying session proceed through the night.
Mclaren seemed to be battling Mercedes for faster times,Lando and George mostly in the mix.Kiara watched for a minute,seeing who would set the faster time as Q3 proceeded on.But she paused and blinked a few times as she checked who was already knocked out and not in Q3...She frowned as she saw Max's name there.
"What the hell?"She muttered,looking at the screen.Honestly,what happened?How did Max not make it to Q3?
She looked further and arched a brow,seeing that Liam Lawson,the replacement for Daniel since he han broken  his hand,had gotten to Q3 instead,landing P10.And just like that,Kiara's teammate didn't make it to Q3.
Kiara sighed,shaking her head.The rookie knocked Max out?
She drank from her bottle again,trying to stay cool in the Singapore heat.Earlier,she had even taken the ice bath already,thinking that she would go on with qualifying.
She just sat there,watching as her name was at the bottom of the list of drivers.
But her eyes widened in surprise yet again as she witnessed what had just happened by the end of the session.
Carlos set pole position.Again.
This was the second weak in a row.
She looked up at the screen in surprise,almost smiling.
But she stopped herself as thoughts of what happened in Monza came to mind.

Carlos Sainz

"Well done,boy."Fred chuckled,giving Carlos a pat on the shoulder as he entered the garage.
"Thanks."Carlos said to everyone as they came over to him,all happy about the pole for tomorrow.
He loosed a sigh of relief at it all.He had really worked hard for that one.And he needed to win it tomorrow.He really wanted to.
Lando was starting behind him,which he actually looked forward to.He was hoping that he and Lando could be on the podium together.
But Carlos soon found himself asking to see the overall race review.And when he looked at it,he lifted both brows.
"Kiara isn't racing?"
"No,"Riccardo shook his head."Car issues."
"Oh."Carlos nodded.
Then he went to his drivers room.
As soon as he stepped in,he shut the door and locked it,leaning against it as he sighed.
He closed his eyes for a moment,not knowing what to do.
He just couldn't stop thinking.He couldn't stop thinking about how she had walked off crying.How she had held back so much as he finally expressed his feelings.
He blamed himself,though.He shouldn't have pushed it.As much as he meant it,he should have kept his mouth shut and let things progress on.
"Carlos,your interview is in the first session."Carlos heard Caco say from outside the room after knocking.
Carlos sighed,pinching the bridge of his nose."I'm coming.Just...give me minute."