RED LIGHTS | LANDO NORRIS

Portugal

"I think I might be coming down with something."

"Sorry?"

"Yeah...I think it's a case of the race face."

There was only silence on the other end.

"You get it? Like an intimidating game face but instead of a game it's a race," she clarified.

Duncan must not have liked her joke. She sighed in disappointment.

"Sorry...that was my radio check."

"Understood."

"You used to be fun."

"Copy. We'll work on that."

She rolled her eyes as the drivers went out onto the grid. Lia's car was in P5 alongside Alonso in P6. Lando was ahead of her in P3 next to Carlos in P4. She needed to get past them as it was her goal to get a podium in Portugal, a country she considered one of her homes.

She shut her visor as the race was about to start.

"It's lights out and away we go!"

All of them dove for the center line to get ahead before turn one. Everybody was practically wheel to wheel as they braked, moving together to squeeze through.

Alonso pushed past her when he got to the second sector. He put some distance between himself and Lia, leaving her to defend against Mick and Stroll.

She held her position until the third lap. Stroll tried to pass Mick and cut him off between both their cars. But he overestimated the space available and slid in, hitting both Mick and Lia.

The two of them were pushed off into the gravel in the same direction. Their cars collided with each other and remained together until they collectively hit the barriers.

She groaned as some of the debris fell over her head and sprinkled into the car. The force of the gravity punched against her chest and she had to sit for a second collecting her breath.

When she glanced up, she saw Mick giving her a thumbs up and down, signing to ask if she was okay. She nodded and gave a thumbs up.

They were soon surrounded by safety and medical personnel. Since she was more in the barrier, Mick helped her hop out of the car.

"Fucking motherfucker! On the third fucking lap this piece of shit!"

She kicked at her busted tires before storming off into the grass area on the side. They were given lawn chairs to wait out the rest of the race since it was too dangerous to get back to the garage now. They were forced to sit and watch what they were just knocked out of.

Lia ripped off her helmet and the rest of her layers. She tore the radio buds out of her ears before pacing back and forth angrily.

Mick smiled slightly at her frustration. He shared similar feelings but was more reserved about it.

Eventually she tired herself out and sat down beside him. They took a moment of silence as the rest of the cars continued zooming past.

"You know I lived here for awhile?" she asked aloud.

Mick ruffled his hair, "You did?"

She nodded, "Yup...and today I was supposed to get a podium to make one of my homes proud. But this idiot decided to take out two people before we could even change our fucking tires."