Turbulence [𝗠.𝗩.]

Netherlands, Race Day

"Now it looks like the wind has blown the rain clouds..."

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THE NETHERLANDS
13TH RACE OF THE SEASON
AUGUST

We're not moving yet, but the wind feels like it's changing. The dull grey clouds have parted somewhat to reveal a pale blue sky, but there are more clouds on the horizon.

The atmosphere of Zandvoort is something else. They've gone all out. An orchestra - all without the little stands in front of them, playing music by heart - and a DJ. Two worlds of music colliding beautifully.

Max sneaks over to where I'm sat with Lance and a few others by one of the barriers. He parks himself down next to me, a hand sneakily reaching to mine, that's on the ground. We're breaking our one rule: keep this off-track... but technically, we're just Max and Jess right now.

"What do you think of my home track?" He shouts over the music.

"I still prefer Silverstone." I dare to say back, which makes him laugh. "I'm gonna have to hear your anthem twice today, you owe me for the emotional suffering."

Lance laughs to my left, as the music changes from classical to whatever the hell the DJ is playing. "He owes all of us, Jess. I hear that shit in my sleep!"

"Well I know how to make it up to Jess—" I slap Max's chest to make him shut up. Both of them find it hilarious. Fuckers.

I'm starting in P5. I seem to be unable to break into the top four when it comes to qualifying. Flexing my fingers, I check the settings of the car, and look up at the sky. The sun was out five minutes ago, and now it's slowly vanishing behind light grey clouds. We might be forced to switch out for wet tyres if the rain is as heavy as the radar suggests it'll be.

And that's if I'm still in the race when it arrives. The wind is whipping up and around. Soft tyres should give me enough grip along with our downforce-heavy setup to survive it, but still... I can feel the wind already. Our cars are light, they're easy to push around.

We head out into the formation lap, behind Verstappen. The pressure is on for him, more than it would be at any other track. As we make our way around, feeling the track and heating up our cooling tyres, I take note of how at turn twelve the wind sharply changes again. I'll need to watch out as I leave that turn, I could easily spin—

Fuck. There's rain. Not much, just a handful of spots hitting my visor, but it's here early. I'll need to get off the line fast and get my tyres hot to make it.

I point my car to the centre of the track. I need to cut off Sainz. And as the lights go out, I do. But there's an Aston Martin trying to squish me into the Ferrari. I stay put, keeping my car as smoothly in the middle— Sainz takes the long outside line and I risk going up Alonso's rear to make sure the Spaniard doesn't jump past me as well as the Williams.

As we finish the first lap, we hit a wall of rain. A handful of cars behind me hit the pits.

"Ferrari weren't ready. Leclerc no longer a threat."

"Fucking hell."

I save the pity for later. I'm racing. Doesn't matter right now. Unlucky, Leclerc. The rain is getting worse as we finish the second lap. I glance at my indicators on the dashboard. My tyres are barely holding on, but they're flicking constantly between the colours for—

Interesting.

Verstappen hits the pits ahead of us. The spray is a nightmare. This isn't good. The tyres are getting worse as we hit the next lap.