SHAMELESS, lewis hamilton¹

38

Lewis had just overtaken George, driving around him in turn eleven and was now in P5.

He had made a comeback from the little incident between him and Fernando at the beginning of the race. It was so annoying and so typical that it happened right at the beginning and at the first race after the break. And of course between him and Fernando. Typical, isn't it?

Then of course he had to pit because of the damage and that brought him down to P20. After that, he only spent his time climbing up the board, passing other drivers as quickly as he could. After all, the race only had forty-four laps.

The number brought a small, amused smile to his lips. 

As he was driving through turn fifteen he heard the crowd gasp. It made him frown. That was oddly loud. The fact that he could hear that was beyond him if he was honest.

Then he saw marshals hurry to wave red flags and his frown deepened. Then Bono's familiar voice filled his ears from his earpiece, "Red flag, Lewis. Come back into the pit lane."

He did exactly that when he came to the pit lane entry, driving all the way until he stopped behind Charles. Lewis sat there for a second as he took off his gloves, then he pulled himself out and put one foot on his seat and then on the edge of the car, then landed on the ground.

Angela was immediately there and his natural reaction was to smile, but it soon fell as he noticed the grim look on her face. It made a furrow form between his eyebrows as he took off his helmet and then the balaclava, the blonde woman taking the two almost right away.

"What's wrong?" he had to ask. How couldn't he? She looked so worried and sad that it set off a siren in his head.

Her eyes snapped up to him, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly open, trying to formulate words. Then she shook her head and began hurrying away as she said to him, "Nothing."

His frown deepened as he jogged to catch up with her. He didn't believe that. Whatever must have happened has got to be serious. But what has happened? And why wouldn't she tell him?

As they walked, steps fast, he looked behind him at the cars that were lined up, starting in front where he expected to find the other Mercedes. But she wasn't there. Huh. Weird.

He looked back in front of him, a furrow between his eyebrows and as they walked he caught sight of Charles walking quickly towards his garage, helmet on and head down. Then as they walked past the McLaren garage, he saw Daniel leaning against a wall with his arms crossed and head hung low, and Lando on the floor, his helmet next to him on the cement floor, and he stared into the distance with a hallow look on his face, his jaw clenched.

The siren in his head just became louder and louder, more intense as he saw the grim looks on the other drivers' faces. Max who always seemed very nonchalant, like he didn't have a care in the world, genuinely looked like he was on the verge of breaking down. When they walked past Red Bull's garage he was lashing out, pushing people who tried to calm him down.

They reached the Mercedes garage, Lewis still looking back at Max, who was left on his own, leaning against the wall with his head in his hands.

He turned back to his own garage, which was the last one nearest the pit entry. A bad feeling nestled in his stomach at the tense atmosphere that he came to. It was like someone had sucked the life out of them. The mechanics sat in silence. The engineers sat back in their chairs, staring at the screens in front of them, others turned completely away from them. All except for Declan, who was holding the microphone close to his lips, his eyes worried and panicked as he spoke into it rapidly, words Lewis couldn't hear.