[cassie klein]
saturday, april 6
japan grand prix - qualifying
Sticking to the 'rules' has proved to be much easier when it's a race weekend, I have decided.
On the track we're competitors, which makes it less difficult to squash any simmering feelings between the two of us with the intensity of the race.
My heart's in my mouth as I pull into the pits after Q1, fearing the absolute worst as I wait for the remaining drivers to complete their times.
"That's P10 so far Cass, we should be safe." Henry's voice sends waves of relief through my body. P10 is way too close to being knocked out for my liking, so I need to pull something out of my ass for this Q2 if I want any chance at a decent start for Sunday.
I don't get out of my car between the two rounds.
Instead I sit there, occasionally drinking some water, as my mind races through every turn and exit on the track, mentally finding somewhere I can scrape up some more pace.
Before I know it Q2 is underway and I'm sent out as soon as the light turns green. I'm impatient through the out lap, eager to test out the plan I've formulated through the break.
As the first one out of the pits, I don't have to worry about staying out of the way of other drivers doing their timed laps. Instead, I can focus on myself and only myself.
My foot hits the throttle as I race across the start line, starting my timed lap. I rip through the corners, finding more pace than I did last round. Maybe it's because of my fresh set of tires, or maybe even the plan I formulated before. Whatever it is, it's working.
I push through the remaining corners, feeling confident in the time I've set. I fly across the line, narrowly avoiding another car on their out lap before slowing down and making my way around the track again.
"Well done Cass, it's P1 but the Red Bull's seem to already be shaving off time from yours. Have to wait and see."
"Copy." I say, rounding another corner and pulling left to allow a bright orange car to go flying past me.
Lando.
"What's Lando's time?" I ask through the radio.
"He's fastest in sector 2, but still slower than Verstappen by a few tenths. Both quicker than your time."
I fight back a groan of frustration.
Q2 ends with a P6, both Redbulls, Ferraris and Lando's McLaren beating my time with ease.
The same can be said about Q3.
The pace just seemed to come easily to the others, who one-upped my time by multiple tenths each time. Charles, however, seemed to struggle in Q3 and so graciously allowed me his spot in P5.
How generous of him.
*****
sunday, april 7.
japan grand prix.
[commentators]
*Welcome, everyone, to the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix! We are here on the wonderful track of Suzuka to watch our twenty drivers battle it out for points in our fourth round of this season. Our starting lineup...
~Yes, and coming into the third row we have Charles Leclerc sharing the same row as good friend Cassie Klein, beating his time by two tenths to push him into P6 as she takes P5. Second row we have the other Ferrari, Carlos Sainz in P4, and the other McLaren, Lando Norris, in P3. Finally, it's an all Redbull front row for the Japanese Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen on pole followed closely by Sergio Perez, who will take P2.
*The lights are coming on and we are ready to start racing! And it's lights out and away we go! It's close coming up the first corner, Klein making a move on Sainz but Carlos shuts the door on Cassie through turn one.
~She's not giving up, is she? She's been following hot on Carlos' tail for the past ten laps, ever so slowly gnawing away at that time - it's incredible, she's moved from a 2 second gap to less than half a second!
*No, she's definitely not giving up easily, that's for sure. And neither is her teammate, Lando Norris, who's just caught up to Sergio Perez as Perez makes his way out of the pits. It's gonna be close, who's going to make it out in front, Perez has his foot down but - OH! It's Lando who makes it out in front! Sergio is following closely behind, and with his fresh tires will it be difficult for Lando to maintain this lead?
~It looks like the battle for fourth has quietened down a bit, with Cassie being told to 'box box' on lap 30 for a change of tires. She's going to have to make up some ground, and the question is, will she make it out in front of Lance Stroll?
*That'll be what McLaren will be aiming for - making sure she gets out in front of that Aston Martin so she has less ground to make up once she gets back out there.
~It's close, but that lightning fast pit stop has given Cassie a few extra seconds to work with as she swoops back out onto the track in front of Lance Stroll.
*Let's take a look back now at Cassie Klein, who's managed to fight her way back to P6 with only 5 laps to go! It seemed like she was struggling a bit before with her tires, but maybe laying off that pace for a few laps has helped revive them a bit?
~Well, that's what Cassie and everyone else at McLaren will be hoping has happened. Just on team radio, nothing else has been said about that issue so we can only assume it's all finally going right for this McLaren side.
*AND ITS LANDO NORRIS WHO MAKES IT A P1 FOR MCLAREN! He's followed closely by Max Verstappen, who will have to settle for second place. Third is taken by Sergio Perez, not long followed by Carlos Sainz and it's P5 for Cassie Klein, who will make it a 1-5 position for the McLaren team.
~Yes, not a bad weekend for the team in orange as we watch the two of them congratulate each other with a friendly hug!
~~~
a bit of a shitty chapter i can't lie but it gets the job done 🤷
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chasing - lando norris
Fanfiction"You sure you can keep up, Klein?" His voice barely reached me over the sound of the crew and the cars, but I could hear the smirk laced in his tone as he hopped into his seat. I simply raised my middle finger in response and slammed my visor down. ...
