𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐑𝐈 | 𝐂𝐋𝟏𝟔

𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐕

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Present Day - April 16th 2047

INTERVIEWER: Zahra, could you share how your career as an F1 journalist started? 

ZAHRA: Yeah, so, I interned a lot before breaking into the industry. During my college years, I bounced around different places, building connections. What started with writing for the school paper evolved into writing for a small up-and-coming sports news website. Alongside that, I dipped my toes into fashion journalism. The goal was to expand my network as much as possible, I needed those connections. That's how I landed an internship with Fox Sports in my graduating year, focusing on football.

Then, someone tipped me off about a potential opening at SkySports F1. I went all out: updating my CV, collecting recommendation letters, basically leaving nothing to chance. Initially, I didn't get the job, but they told me I was high on their list. But fate seemed to favor me when the person who did get hired ended up being let go. And apparently, they weren't lying, I was high on their list, because I ended up getting the job, really last minute. It also helped that I built a following on my social media, it helps your hireability, in jobs like these.  So what if I'm a replacement? I was determined to be way better than the guy before. I wanted to show them firing him was the best thing they could ever do, and that they should've hired me first.

INTERVIEWER: That's fascinating. So, delving into your career, we obviously had to look up the name Zahra Nichols often, including searches for Zahra Nichols F1. There were a few photos from the 2018 Brazilian Grand Prix where you were often seen in or near Ferrari hospitality, sometimes alongside Charles Leclerc, five years before your career began. Could you share more about that?

ZAHRA: Well, I believe I already mentioned earlier, Charles and I were friends long before my career in sports or F1 journalism started. He invited me to the event, and I was there simply to immerse myself in the world of Formula 1 and enjoy the sport. I remember that day vividly because it was a turning point for me. As I wandered around the paddock, I found myself captivated by the reporters and journalists who were covering the event. I loved it, I couldn't stop watching them. Not in a creepy stalker-like way, but I was genuinely fascinated by their work and the energy of the environment. It was then that I realized my deep passion for sports journalism.

Additionally, that day I also had the pleasure of spotting Alma Clarke, who has since become a close friend of mine. I have immense admiration and respect for her, and we've maintained our friendship over the years. It's been almost twenty years, can you believe that? My mind's been on this job for twenty years.

INTERVIEWER: Your appearance at the 2018 Brazilian Grand Prix certainly caused a stir. You were dressed impeccably, and I must admit, your sense of style has received admiration even now. Then, there's the less nice things. The rumors circling your involvement with Charles Leclerc, you two seemed close, even in just a few pictures. Could you shed some light on the rumors surrounding your relationship with Charles Leclerc? It's been two decades since then; what's your take on it now?

ZAHRA: First of all, thank you for the compliment; I'm glad my fashion choices made an impression. Chuckles It's funny, I vividly recall the anxiety of choosing my outfit that day, but thankfully, a friend came to my rescue, and helped me piece together an outfit. I have to give credit to her, what I wore did end up being memorable. Smiles Working in fashion journalism has certainly refined my sense of style; it's almost embarrassing to think about wearing something drab to the office when you work in a place like Vogue, which I once did. As for the rumors about Charles and me, we were simply friends—nothing more, nothing less. I'd actually suggest asking Charles himself about what we were back then. I'm sure he'd provide a more insightful perspective, something actually worth your time.

March 26th 2028

ZAHRA NICHOLS

I was on my way, walking a few minutes over to Alma's hotel. Throughout Jeddah, I didn't have any work to do relating to Ferrari or Charles, which was a huge relief. Keir and I had managed to negotiate leaving Jeddah early and going straight to Australia with Anderson, but it meant diving into YouTube video productions, recorded interviews, and promotional content straight away for our upcoming stint in Australia.

Alma appeared in the lobby. "Where are we off to today?" she asked with a grin. "Picnic in the park? Maybe check out Queen Victoria Market?" I suggested, and together we left the hotel, making our way to a nearby grocery store. "Is Keir joining us?" she asked. "Nope, he's on a Hinge date," I chuckled. "Good for him!" Alma replied, laughter bubbling up between us.

As we walked, Alma couldn't resist capturing moments with her camera. "This is how photographers act in the wild, I see," I teased. "Yup, lucky for you, I left my massive work camera in my room. But come on, you're not innocent either," she retorted playfully. "Oh, I snap a few with my phone and this little thing," I said, showing off my digicam.

After grabbing some food from the grocery store, we settled in a park, spreading out a blanket and our food. Conversation went off to relationships, and Alma was already talking. "I met Jeffery in my last year of secondary school, but I was already with Matt back then. Matt wasn't great, but when you're young, love is blind. We got engaged during my second year of uni, and a month later, he betrayed me, and you know this, he fucked my sister and cousin. That was the end of that, I called it off entirely, my parents weren't too happy about that. Before I graduated, I reconnected with Jeffery. We were friends for years before dating, and after a little over a year of dating, he proposed," Alma recounted with a smile.

"What about you, Zahra?" Alma prompted. "I can't hog the spotlight," I deflected with a chuckle. "But if we're talking serious relationships, I've had two. This guy, Aarav was my high school crush, though he turned out to be a bit of a jerk. I only liked him because he had a cool car and played guitar, but we ended up dating, and it was my first serious relationship. He did end up cheating on me, though. Then there's Wesley. We've been together four years now and recently bought an apartment in LA," I shared, my smile widening at the thought of him.

"Charles wasn't serious?" Alma asked gently. I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. "Why do you ask?" I deflected again, trying to steer clear of the topic. "You won't talk about it, which tells me there's a story," Alma persisted. I sighed, relenting. "Well, in terms of intimacy, yes, we were involved. But we never defined ourselves as boyfriend and girlfriend, even though we often acted like it. Most of the time," I admitted, memories resurfacing.

"How did it end?" Alma pressed on. I paused, recalling the last days in Brazil. "He invited me to a club, then, I guess, forgot about me all night. I got insanely drunk, we had a heated argument on the street, and that was it," I recounted, my voice tinged with bitterness. "Why all the questions?" I asked, hoping to change the subject.

Alma chuckled knowingly. "Because he's about twenty-five meters away," she pointed discreetly ahead. My heart skipped a beat as I spotted him with his friends, far enough not to overhear us but close enough to spot us. Swiftly, I rose to my feet. "Yeah, let's head to that market now," I said with forced cheerfulness, eager to shift our focus. Alma laughed and followed, our laughter mingling with the soft rustling of leaves in the park.

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𝐀𝐔𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐘'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒
❀ Short chap but INTERVIEWS ARE BACK!!
❀  Plus, i updated the timeline so it's not confusing,
 it's actually straightforward now
❀ I'm probably gonna fix the yap corner soon
cs i hate this layout
❀ Update: yap corner is fixed tehe
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