Turbulence [𝗠.𝗩.]

Mexico, Race Day Cont

"Although you might think she's driving recklessly, Bond is within the regulations. She's toeing that line, but she is entirely on the right side of the rules right now as she battles her teammate Mick Schumacher for P6."

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MEXICO
19TH RACE OF THE SEASON
OCTOBER

"No orders."

Then he is fair game if he tries it.

The last cars line up at the back of the grid. The lights come on. I watch. Wait.

And launch my car into the first corner with all the power it has.. It's another mad scramble, everyone wants a spot, everyone sees a chance. I force Lawson aside and don't allow the McLaren behind me to get ahead. We're still only halfway around the lap and everyone is still going for it. I keep my elbows out, I am not giving anyone a damn thing, not even Schumacher if he comes up to get my place.

I pull out to the right on the straight to get some clean, cooler air; Piastri thinks he's got a chance but I pulled out before he attacked, so I can defend. He gets shut out at the next turn. Not today, fucker. Not today.

The left side of the track is filthy. It'll grain the tyres.

DRS is enabled. I use it to keep on Lawson's tail, reminding him that I am here and I am going to take his spot. I don't need to pit again. I would have to really do my tyres in to have to pit. I'm not letting up. Yes, we have under half a race left. It's plenty of time, but I am hungry for a good weekend.

Piastri pulls back as Mick and Tsunoda challenge him.

Lap 40 rolls around and I try once more to slip past Lawson as he fights Russell. It doesn't work; I'm going to sandwich the AlphaTauri into the Mercedes if I don't back out, so I drop my speed and let them fight. I'll pick off the loser of that battle between them.

Using what little cooler air I can get, I do my best to lift and coast without losing too much pace. Piastri might be falling back as he fights off Schumacher and Tsunoda, but he will throw me behind as a sacrifice if he can.

For the next handful of laps, I keep on Lawson still, and the McLaren behind me is briefly replaced by a black and aqua Jaguar. The two continue scrapping behind me, nearly coming to blows as they touch tyres at some corners.

"Medium runners should start to see a reduced pace now. Norris working up the pack, do not risk it if he gets to you."

"Copy."

I look in my mirrors on lap 50; Schumacher is now firmly the victor of that fight. He's chasing after me.

I smirk, letting my words go down the radio as a warning to the team that I fully intend to fight.

"Let's see what you've got, Schumacher."

He doesn't get to fight instantly; behind us, Tsunoda has spun out and lost the fight with Piastri. Schumacher has to wait for the green flag. Then he starts moving. Two Jaguars and two McLarens fighting amongst themselves. This is going to be interesting.

At turn 10, he slips alongside; I take the corner as fast as the car lets me to throw myself ahead by turn 11. Lap 50: I'm still ahead. And I will keep it that way for the next twenty-one laps. Today is not a team race. It's mine.

For the next lap, he doesn't attack. He's charging his ERS. I'm charging mine as well. He will attack with the electric boost, I will defend. Everyone knows that. We charge into the corners as if we can fight, but there's no real power being deployed yet. During the next tow laps, he goes for it again, taking each corner deeply. I take the tighter lines, in slightly cleaner air because there's now a healthy gap between myself and Lawson thanks to this squabble we're having.

He doesn't pass me, forced to back away in a way that tells me his car is getting uncomfortably hot. Two laps later, he's about to fight me again but stops. And I find out why: Norris is coming.

"Stop your fight for now. Let Norris past. Not worth it."

We both allow him to past without a fight. All the team cares about is securing 6th int he Constructors'. McLaren are ahead. We won't catch them.

As soon as the McLaren passes, Schumacher takes a shot. He swerves out, into the cooler air, and takes the wider line with more power. I haven't made a move to shut him out but I can't now we're braking. All I have to do is hit the throttle faster, risking a lockup but it works. I'm ahead again.

Each of the turns becomes a war dance between the two of us. Our snarling cars scrap at the slow corners as we swap places on entry and on exit. But each lap, the result is the same: I am ahead. Barely, but I am. Why? It's not because I'm a better driver. It's because I'm willing to risk the car. Risk it all.

A chance to solidfy my positioning comes as the McLaren sweeps past Lawson on lap 60; I hit the throttle and follow through, leaving Schumacher to have to fight someone else if he wants to come back for round two.

"Try to keep the car in one piece."

I'm not answering Mateo. My eyes are flitting between my mirrors, the information on my dashboard, the cars around me, the racking lines... everything. Over the next lap I work on letting Norris peel ahead so that I can cool my engine for when Schumacher inevitably comes back into my mirrors.

He doesn't reappear for a few laps. I focus on my brake temps. They're coming down slowly. They don't get enough time to be right where I want them, though, because on lap 65, he reappears.

The battle begins again as we fly into turn 6. He's still playing it safe, backing away each time I throw the car without much care for how it might end. The thing is: I do care. I'm not driving recklessly for fun or to scare him away. I know this car. I've had all year to learn it. I know it will respond when I want it to. I know my limits with it. I know the regulations. And I know my own personal limits with racing.

And all of that means I know just how far I can push the damn thing.

We're coming into the final five laps as yellow flags come up, pausing out fight briefly. Ahead of us, just outside of the yellow flags, there's now a Mercedes ahead. Norris really is on a roll.

"Okay, you two." Oliver's voice is stern. "You've had your fun."

"This is a race, Oliver." I shouldn't be snapping back. But I'm right. "We are racing."

"We want to hold this position."

As Mick makes another attempt when the flags clear, I have to hold back on laughter and stay focused. "I don't think Mick agrees. Tell him to bring it the fuck on."

I'm going to ignore my radio until we reach the flag. Of all the battles I've had this year: this is the best. I'm enjoying it. Schumacher isn't hesitating now that we're being pressured by Lawson as well. The fight is a war between all three of us, and I'm only spared by having my car close enough to Russell to keep ahead.

We're into the final lap, still scrapping at every turn. The car is burning up, my head feels light and I want out but I can do this. I will do this. Lawson's speedy AlphaTauri can't keep up as Mick comes alongside me into the final turn but I still have DRS and he cannot overtake as I get out the turn faster than he does—

In the battle of the Jaguars: victory is mine.