Overdrive [C. LECLERC]

CHAPTER THREE

For a reason Charles couldn't quite nail down, his mind has been dead-set on Nora for the past month.

The timing was less than ideal, with the Bahrain GP approaching this coming weekend. He found himself caught in this weird loop where, instead of zoning in on his focus for the race, he was deep-diving into Nora's social accounts, wondering why he hadn't come across it before, given her large following.

Although, it was almost as if he couldn't avoid her face if he tried. Once he started noticing her, she was everywhere. Between testing and savouring as much of the off-season as he possibly could, he'd refresh his Instagram just to stumble on her having collaborated with other Formula 1 teams, interviewing his colleagues, and hosting challenges and bits of fun PR. To him, it seemed like she enjoyed it a great deal.

Was her jealous? No. Or at least that's what he'd told himself. After all, he barely knew the girl.

Yet, he couldn't shake off a certain sense of expectation. Each time media day came around, part of him half-expected to see her there. But she never was, it was always the same familiar faces.

This absence perplexed him more than he cared to admit. It was frustrating. Why hadn't Ferrari registered how much engagement she was bringing to the other teams just solely by her being there? The question nagged at him, to the point where he found himself, surprisingly, wanting to do something about it.

Midway through a promo shoot in their media room in Maranello, Charles couldn't help but feel the familiar strike of disappointment when yet again, Nora didn't walk through the door to star in their video. It was during a break as he absentmindedly sipped his water, that Gia, the head of marketing, walked in to check on the day's progress.

Seizing the moment, Charles decided to pitch his idea. Of course, he had to be as subtle as possible. He'd never had any notes, nor cared, about the team's marketing strategies before.

"Gia, don't you think we should aim elsewhere content-wise? Maybe getting some fresh faces in front of the camera?" Charles broached the subject, trying to gauge Gia's reaction.

Gia, with her phone in hand, looked up with a mix of curiosity and surprise. "Fresh faces? What?" She wasn't trying to be rude, she was simply dumb-founded at the fact that Charles, who usually goes with the flow with his media duties, was making a suggestion.

He shrugged, attempting to maintain a nonchalant demeanour. "I don't know. I mean, I don't really care, really... it's just that some of our shoots feel kind of repetitive every season and on top of that, we're calling back the same creators and interviewers every time."

Gia's eyes narrowed slightly, reflecting a mix between curiosity and a hint of scepticism. "Well, Charles, the numbers have been consistent, not to mention our solid rapport with our regular collaborators."

I should've kept my mouth shut, thought Charles.

She continued, "I must say though, it is quite unusual for you to bring up a change, for media, I mean." She paused, eyeing him, trying to figure out what prompted this sudden interest.

"Anyone particular that you have in mind?"

Yes.

But Charles felt a sudden rush of panic, not wanting to jump the gun and out his eagerness to get Nora on board. Inside, his thoughts were racing, looking for a way to casually drop Nora's name without revealing a hint of personal interest.

"Uh, I mean, it's not like I have a specific person in mind," Charles started with a relaxed shrug. "It's just... have you seen all the engagement across other teams thanks to new faces? Like, it might be worth exploring, right? Maybe someone who understands the sport but brings a fresh vibe?"