All the Way - an F1 story

53

11 December, 2021
📍Abu Dhabi, The United Arab Emirates

It was as if her hands had a mind of their own; adjusting settings, upshifting and downshifting, her turns sharp and defensive, but also allowing her to have a greater distance to accelerate the corners. Luca was easy to get around, just like Nicholas and Sergio before him. Henry was in her ear, giving her the go-ahead to push until the end, as she navigated the winding third sector, the boats docked in the marina flying past, she could hear the celebrations of her team that took up the background of the radio messages from Henry. That final corner complex went quick, and as she pulled onto the main straight, she could see the black overalls of the garage crews hanging on the fence, their fists waving triumphantly as she crossed the finish line, first in the feature race, and first in the championship.

(P) Don't fall asleep on me now, Calì.

(C) I'm not, Melì. Am I good to go again?

(P) It's a bit earlier than we would like, but sure, go ahead.

Gianna was the one to guide her out of the garage, and as far as she knew, Calina was the only car out on the track. As she emerged from the tunnel, the timer on a nearby jumbo screen showed she had just over six minutes until Q3 was up. It was earlier than she would've liked, but the clear track was nice, and knowing no one else would be going out for their final run anytime soon.

(P) Go for a double warm-up, okay? You have the time.

(C) Yeah, got it.

Calina was currently running in P2. Max was ahead by just under half a second, and Lewis was trailing her by a full ninth tenths. Considering how early she went out, this was her last shot, and it needed to be damn good if she was gonna keep her front row start.

She kept her warm-up laps very brief; she had a good feel already for the track, and it was warm enough at track level that the tyres were perfectly fine.  She took the third sector of her second out lap quickly, preparing herself for her flying lap, while beside her, in the pits, the other cars were beginning to make their war out for their out laps.

(C) Okay, Melì, just give me the sector times, but nothing else.

(P) Got it, Calì.

The time on her wheel's screen began when she crossed the line. Her hands worked like they had a mind of their own, adjusting settings, upshifting and downshifting. Yas Marina was an easy track for her, having grown comfortable racing on the course in only the few times she had raced there. Her dash lit up purple as she exited the hairpin at Turn Five; a perfect first sector. Melissa was in her ear quickly, elated at the timing. The second sector was easy, with the two DRS zones separated by the Turns Six and Seven chicane. She didn't set the fastest time, but it was close, an improvement on her previous time.

(P) 35.65. Bring it home, Calì.

Melissa's message sent a surge of adrenaline through her. Calina took every turn of the third sector better than she ever had, it was probably her best in all of the practice and qualifying sessions this weekend. It seemed as though it went by in a blink of an eye, because soon enough, she was making the turn onto the main straight, moving out of the way for the other cars as soon as she crossed the line.

(P) 1:22.490. Calì, that was pole. What a fucking lap!

(C) Melissa, you don't sound too enthused.

(P) I am, but Max and Lewis are both on one hell of a lap right now. Just come in and we'll see, but we think it's still looking good.

Calina wasted no time in jumping out of the car once it was back in the garage. The F.I.A. had directed her to the weighbridge when she first entered the pits, saving her from having to weigh herself after, so she immediately joined Henry at the island after handing off her helmet to Lella.