Maybe in another life-formula 1

Absent

"Where is Angelus?" Max asked, frustration lacing his voice as soon as the helmet was off. The Azerbaijan circuit was favoring his teammate, and Max wasn't here to be second.

Christian Horner looked at him, calm but firm. "He's in Milton Keynes."

"What? Why?" Max turned to face his team principal, his face red from frustration or maybe from the balaclava. It didn't matter.

Christian only shrugged. "Max, Angelus is not your engineer. Do not forget that. He is also not obliged to attend all the races. He needed rest, so I told him not to come."

"Fine," Max muttered, though his irritation was still obvious on his face.

Later in the day, when the team debriefed, Angelus was present as a black screen on a small laptop in the corner. The room was filled with the hum of computers and the low murmur of voices discussing strategies.

"I looked over the data. We are on a really good track, great results, Perez," his voice crackled once from the shitty laptop speaker.

"You should want me to win," Max thought, frowning in the corner. He kept his eyes on the screen, feeling a mix of anger and something he couldn't quite name.

Max's frustration wasn't gone in Miami because Angelus was still missing in action. Besides a few online meetings with the team where Angelus had his camera turned off, only contributing with data and numbers here and there, Max had not seen him since Australia. Maybe it was good. He didn't want the distraction; they would have probably fought again anyway.

Walking with Daniel in Miami, Max tried to shake off the unease. The sun was shining brightly, the paddock bustling with activity, and the excitement of the upcoming race was obvious . Daniel laughed at something on his phone, a carefree sound that momentarily lifted Max's spirits. Max didn't mean to pry, but when he caught the name "car nerd" on Daniel's screen, curiosity got the better of him.

"Who's 'car nerd'?" Max asked, trying to sound casual.

"Ah, that's Angelo. I was asking him how his appointment went, and he sent me this." Daniel turned his phone to show Max a video of Angelus, grinning widely, his thumbs up as he looked at the camera.

Max grimaced at the way the nickname easily left Daniel's mouth. The video showed Angelus in a rare moment of lightheartedness, and it unsettled him.

"Appointment for what?" Max inquired.

Daniel locked his phone, looking up at him with a look that Max couldn't place. "I gave him my old physio's address from when I was in the UK," Daniel explained.

"Ah, okay," Max replied, trying to process the information.

Max had a physio in the uk angelus could have asked him.

Daniel noticed Max drifting off and nudged him gently.

"Mate, you okay?"

"Yeah, I just didn't think you and Angelus would get along."

"Yeah, nah, he's a good one... a bit quiet, but he's got a sense of humor. Just gotta pull it outta him," Daniel said, smiling.

Max nodded, though his mind was elsewhere. The bright Miami sun and the vibrant atmosphere of the paddock couldn't distract him from the gnawing feeling of something missing.

......

After another one-two result in Miami and a long debrief with Newey, Angelus was finally free for a short time, now extended by the cancellation of Imola.

Angelus took this opportunity to go back to Rome and spend some time with his mother and get ready for his best friend's wedding.

He was sitting on the balcony, the terracotta tiles warm under his bare feet, as the sun began to set, casting a golden hue over the city. His mother walked in, her silver blond hair catching the fading light, holding two cups of coffee.