Turbulence [𝗠.𝗩.]

Austria, Pre-Race

#RookieGang lunch! - @JessicaBond57

@JessicaBond w h y - @GeorgeRussell63

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AUSTRIA

9TH RACE WEEKEND OF THE SEASON - 2ND SPRINT WEEKEND

JULY

I can't stand sprint races.

I've done my fair share of them in F2, and I disliked them then. I still think they're annoying now, even though I have far less of them to do. Unfortunately for me, this weekend will be a sprint weekend, and that means I have just one session to get used to the track, then I have to go buck wild and pray I don't screw up my car.

At least there's plenty of off-track drama to keep me entertained.

A little more about Otmar has come out, at last. Lando has spent ages trying to coax information from Oscar, and he's finally got answers. Our little rookie gang is huddling around a table at a diner, enjoying lunch as we catch up on what the two McLaren drivers have to share.

As part of my intentions to make Logan feel more welcome, I'm sat next to him, but he's still very quiet. It's worrying. Am I perhaps coming on too strong by trying to be all friendly with him?

"Jess?" Lando asks, waving a hand in front of my face. I snap out of my thoughts as everyone laughs at me. "Stop dreaming about Max being naked."

"I—I'm not!" I stammer out, already feeling my face heat up. I have to redirect this, quickly. I smooth my expression before raising a brow. "Actually, I was dreaming about George, since, y'know, I'm apparently sleeping with him behind his girlfriend's back."

Another round of laughter ensues, before Oscar clears his throat. Thank fuck, I've managed to avoid giving away too much. The clinking of cutlery stops emanating from our table as everyone focuses on Oscar.

"So, I didn't tell any of you this, 'cause I don't wanna get in shit." The Australian starts, looking at each of us carefully. "But it's coming from above Otmar. Basically, they're pissed that they're falling behind. With Jaguar basically humiliating them by being better than them in their first season, and Aston Martin easily shoving them down another place in the table, along with us right behind them, Luca de Meo wants to blame someone. He's choosing Otmar and everyone around him."

I whistle lowly, brows raised briefly. No wonder Otmar wants to hit out at us. "And with Williams bumfuck bottom, Otmar thinks he has an ally there."

"But that's the thing: he doesn't. James Vowles just wants to change things, or have you guys booted out until the FIA get their shit together; because they're looking at adding another team."

"You're fucking kidding, right? I thought it was just rumours and casual talk, not discussions for real?" James looks at me, we share a similar what the fuck expression. It's tough enough with eleven teams - two drivers are still yet to get a single point. Adding more drivers? Not possible, not with the way F1 is now. "They're fucking idiots."

"Vowles feels threatened because he's expecting the world out of Logan and Alex, but he's not given them a competitive enough car." I'm choosing my words carefully. I know that actually, the Williams cars can compete with the big three teams. I don't want to alienate Logan, though. By shifting the blame, I'm hoping it makes him feel less pressured, and less uncomfortable with the subject as a whole. "Like, Sorry, Logan, but you guys haven't been given a car that can fight as well as say the McLarens. Shit, even Haas have a half decent car this year."

"It's alright. Someone's gotta finish last, haven't they?" His words aren't the issue. It's how he's saying them. So calm, so flippant. It punches at my gut. He meets my gaze for a few seconds, but it quickly drops back to his half-cleared plate as his fork is used to idly push food around.

"Yeah, but it shouldn't be you. I think he took you out of F2 a bit too early. I'm not saying somehow you're not built for F1, I just think you needed time to get yourself a smashing season in F2, then you could come here and kick arse."

"With a better team, too." James adds. As I look at him, he gives me a sly wink. Thank fuck, he's realised what I'm trying to do. "I know James is a nice guy and all, but I dunno... I think you could've yanked a better seat, personally. Williams is struggling enough as it is, they shouldn't be putting all their hopes on you in your first season here."

"You guys are missing the part where the FIA are about to go bumfuck wild and add a twelfth team." Lando speaks the last three words slowly, and he's right to bring us back to this point.

"I take it TPs are already digging their heels in over this?" Liam's voice reminds me he is in fact here. I feel bad that I'd completely forgotten that, given he's sitting to my bloody right. "'Cause if they are, we should encourage all drivers to do the same. No offence, Jess, but it's difficult enough with twenty-two of us on the tracks."

"None taken." I say quickly. "Azerbaijan was tough, I'm surprised all the cars fit on the streets, and then Monaco... well, that was a shitshow, and we're lucky there weren't any pileups, because that was messy enough with the rain."

"Exactly." Liam nods in agreement with me. "Ten teams is pretty nice, eleven is a challenge, and the points deffo need tweaking, but it's manageable. Twelve teams? Nah, way too much. We should start pushing back on it too."

"Lewis isn't happy with the idea. I could ask Seb what he thinks." James is already on his phone, likely firing off texts to the aforementioned drivers. I glance at the others; Oscar has a very serious expression, as does Lando. Logan seems uncomfortable, I hope that it's with the idea of another pair of drivers on the grid and not how we put the spotlight on his pointless run so far. Liam has his brows furrowed, he's thinking so hard I can imagine the smoke pouring from his ears.

"I'll talk to Esteban, Mick and Max." I say at last, breaking through the background ambience of meals being bussed and eaten around us. "I'm sure they'll have a few things to say about this."

"Alex already doesn't like it." Logan leans forward, seemingly wanting to engage in the conversation now, which is a good sign. His seemingly guarded body language isn't so clear anymore now that he's shifted to lean against the table.

"I'll have a word with Carlos. That'll cover enough drivers." Lando adds. "They'll all talk to others, and who knows, we might hear F1 management aren't on board with it."

"We probably will." I murmur. I'm no fool, for the past few years there have been rumblings amongst FOM about the way the FIA has been acting, the decisions they've been making, and the mess they create every time they try to micromanage parts of the sport that they shouldn't be fucking around with. "Let's put out feelers for now, then get the race weekend over with and talk about it after. We're kinda picking a shit time to start this fight, if it's gonna be one."

"She's right." Liam jabs his thumb in my direction. "Four races in five weeks, late nights in the sims, endless dumb interviews... we're gonna be too tired to keep our shit together. 'Sides, we can use rumours to our advantage. Have a conversation a bit too close to some media people, let them go wild. They love making drama out of anything. Might work in our favour."