to the finish line || ollie bearman

part 53

i was sat in the taxi, alone for a change, on the way to the track. i just wanted to clear my mind for the day ahead. it's so important to me that i win this race for flo so i need to be as focused as possible.

i felt bad telling ollie i was riding alone earlier, his face completely changed. i felt so guilty, but i need this. i hope he understands. i didn't even stop to take photos with fans on the way into the track, i just hid back.

i get out of the taxi and head straight to the garage. i had a two hours until the race started, and i had planned out everything down to the minute.

i had 15 minutes until the pre-race meeting, which i was eating breakfast in my drivers room.

an hour later, my meeting was over so i head back to the drivers room to change into my race suit and play some music before finding jules and doing some reaction tests.

"angel, don't stress yourself out." he says, whilst doing some tennis ball tests.

"i'm not stressed, i'm following a plan jules." i correct him.

"ah of course. let me guess, two minutes until music?" he says.

"yes, how did you know?"

"it's been the same every time you need to win and it always works."

"well it must be a great plan..." i say, as kimi walks into the garage.

"i'm guessing that's not to plan."

"no, but it won't change anything. i have an extra few minutes anyway." i say, as kimi approaches us.

"i don't think hes meant to be in here."

"he's kimi, just let it slide." i say as he stops in front of me.

(italian)

"you okay?"

"i'm fine, just following my plan." i say.

"do you need me to go? i'm not on the plan."

"your find, just walk with me to my trailer."

"okay." he says, and we start walking away.

"how are you doing?" he asks.

"fine. i'm relaxed." i say.

"really?"

"yes kimi, i'm following the plan why wouldn't i be?"

"i don't know, ollie was just worried."

"he hasn't learnt about my plan yet."

"talk to him after the race?" kimi says as we reach the driver room.

"of course, he's gonna be on the podium with me."

"is that on the plan."

"of course it's on the plan." i say, patting his shoulder before heading into my driver room and grabbing my airpods.

playing "in my room" by chance peña

5 minutes i make my way back into the garage, helmet in one hand and my bottle in the other with my music still playing in my ears. i head over to the side of my car, wishing good luck to zac as i pass him.

i take out my headphones and put on my helmet before climbing into the car.

"radio check angel." jules says.

"loud and clear." i say before taking a deep breath.

i can do this. for flo.

"angel, you can do this." jules says, practically reading my mind from wherever the pit wall was.

"for florence." i reply.

20 minutes later, i was waiting in front of the other cars on the grid whilst waiting for the 5 lights. finally, they begin

1 light
2 lights
3 lights
4 lights
5 lights

lights out...

i press my foot down and speed ahead, keeping first position. thank god.

"safety car" jules says as i drive around turn 6 with ollie 0.936 behind.

"are they alright?" i ask

"... yes they are." he replies whilst i slow the car down.

the safety car pulls out of the pit lane in front of me as we start the second lap. another lap later and it returns back to the pit lane and i'm back to full time racing, thankfully keeping the lead. i couldn't say the same for ollie who was overtaken by maloney.

he was already 0.693 seconds behind by the time i had finished another two laps. fuck off.

"defend your position angel, you have nothing to lose."

"jules, i have everything to lose." i reply before beginning to defend with my fucking life. there was no way i was letting him overtake me.

whilst going round turn 5, he had drs on me and also an advantage, but i push ahead and he only managed to drive along side the rear end of my car. i could feel my heartbeat massively speeding up, it was only lap 4 out of 29.

i was still in the lead by turn 7, zane locking up behind me. now there was a 1.385 second gap i was a little bit more relaxed. but i was still dreading the pit stop which would eventually come.

10 laps later, i was still in the lead. behind me, ollie was back in p2 which brought a little bit more comfort but not much. if his team told him to go for the win, he had too. and i would defend as if he was any other driver in the grid.

even so, we had a 3.648 second gap between us.

it was another 5 laps before i was told to box, i hate it. i have been dreading it the whole race. i come into the pits, as well as the 5 cars behind me. thankfully, nothing messed up and i came back out onto the track in p8.

"don't worry angel, remember they all have to pit." jules says.

"yeah obviously." i say, but i was stressing either way and begin to catch up to the car in front of me. within two laps i was in p7.

with each lap that the cars ahead didn't pit i got more and more worried. there was only 5 laps left, and there was 4 cars ahead of me that hadn't pitted.

"okay angel, four cars ahead are now pitting."

i drive past the pit exit, no cars in front. i was back in the lead and i let out a sigh of relief.

but now, my heartbeat was picking up again because i was about to fucking win. 4 laps left, the person behind was almost five seconds behind. there was no-one stopping me from winning other then myself and there was no fucking way i was doing that.

now, the final lap...

"alright angel, bring it home." jules says.

the lap felt like it was going on forever, like there was a whole minute between every turn, even though i was going faster so i could finally win. as i go round turn 17, i could hear the crowds beginning to cheer, and i couldn't help but smile through the tears which had started half a lap ago.

"earlier this week, she lost her best friend. yesterday, she crashed. today, angelina antonelli wins the silverstone feature race!!!"

"you fucking did it kid." jules says.

"oh my god, jules..." i say, i couldn't even think about what to say.

"you won."

"i fucking won, i did it flo. i-i..."

i couldn't even finish what i was saying i was in so much shock. and the tears already begin.

||authors note ~ hope you enjoy 🫶🏼

apologies that it's a little late