As if | Max Verstappen

3

the pre-season was over and it was time for my first racing weekend. almost every time Max and I needed to be close to each other, he always made some crappy comment or was mean in most ways that went unnoticed.

it was saturday and it was my first qualifying in f1. I felt my nerves starting to take over as I sat in my driver's compartment. there was a knock on the door and I opened the door and saw Christian standing there.

"how are you feeling" he asked placing a supportive hand on my shoulder.

"I'm very nervous"

"it's okay. you were awesome in the pre-season so there probably won't be any problems"

I thanked him for his encouraging words and tried to shake off the nervousness. when Christian had left the room it didn't take long before there was another knock on the door. I went and opened it again and was now greeted by Max.

"what do you want" I said disgusted

"i hope you crash"

"god you are so kind"

we started arguing before Lucas my race engineer came and said it was time for qualifying. i climbed into my race car thinking i was going to throw up in my helmet thanks to my nervousness. Qualifying started and both Max and I were out quickly to start our flying lap.

I started my flying lap before Max and I pushed my car to its limits. I found the perfect line to follow to be able to get a fast time, I knew every second was crucial.

"right now you're the fastest" Lucas said and I was surprised that Max wasn't faster than me. I could feel the sweat starting to collect under the helmet and I got nervous that the other riders would get faster times and get me during the stretch.

Lucas gave me updates on my position and the lap times of my competitors. I knew my last flying lap needed to be flawless to make it to Q2.

the clock began to tick down to zero and I began my last flying lap. the lap was clean, fast and flawless. I felt a wave of relief when Lucas informed me that I had secured my place for Q2. I felt a wave of immense relief but I knew now it was going to be harder as the track heated up. I rolled into the pit and waited for the next one to start. those who were eliminated were Bottas, Kmag, Zhou, Sargent and Lance.

Q2 started and the car rolled out of the pits, and I steered back onto the track. I was the first out on the track to avoid traffic on my flying lap. I was aware that every microsecond was now even more important. My strategy was to save the best tires for the decisive lap, but at the same time I needed to build up heat in them to ensure maximum grip.

During Q2 I focused on finding the right balance between aggressiveness and precision. Every curve required full focus and quick response on my part. Lucas relayed information about the competitors' performances, and I adjusted my driving style to stay at the front of the pack.

I had once again made it through Q2 and it was almost time for Q3 so I drove into the pit waiting for it to start again. those who went out now were Fernando, Piastri, Pierre, Esteban and Albon.finally it was Q3 and everyone seemed to want to be first out now. I felt sweat start to flow and I was a little disgusted with myself but filtered it out.

My team had strategically saved the best tires for this crucial moment. Every detail, every curve, was crucial to securing a good starting position in the upcoming race. I was aware of every button press, every downshift and every acceleration.