Her || Charles Leclerc

28. A True Leader

"Two secs, Ted, we have a board radio from Matilde Jørgensen coming in," Crofty said. He, just like everyone else in the world, heard the words from the Ferrari team principal and he looked at Martin Brundle. "Did she just say that they are on their own?"

Brundle squeezed his eyebrows together and processed the moment. Right on that moment, Matilde appeared on the TV: she was leaning back on her chair and her arms crossed in front of her chest, really taking her hands off the leadership. "She did," he said speechlessly. "Can she do that?"

"She just did," Croftly uncomfortably chuckled. "Has someone ever done that before?"

"No, I don't think someone has ever done that like that." Brundle took a deep breath. "I really hope that this is the right decision; otherwise, we can say goodbye to her."

"I don't even want to know what is happening at Ferrari now," Ted said chimed in. "Wow, what a move."

The move left people stunned. Commentators were at a loss for words, uncertain about how to react or what to anticipate next. The board was standing in the garage, shaking their heads and preparing for the immediate dismissal of Matilde Jørgensen. Twitter exploded with a flurry of comments, debating whether Matilde's decision was a bold move or the potential end of her leadership in Formula 1.

There were fifteen laps to go and the tension hung thick in the air, intensified by Matilde's unprecedented decision to release the control and leave it up to her two drivers. There was silence within the team, no more words were shared. Only when crucial information had to be shared, there were people talking. No one understood the decision, it only created many questions and judgements.

Max was still leading, but Charles and Carlos were also fighting for the lead, each driver pushing their car and abilities to the limit. It was Max who held the lead for most of the race, his competitive Red Bull car slicing through the air with precision. However, Charles and Carlos, fueled by a newfound sense of determination, refused to let Max pull away.

With each passing lap, the tension intensified. Nothing really happened after the odd move by the Ferrari team principal, but Charles and Carlos began to close the gap on Max, inching closer with each passing lap. The crowd held its breath as the Ferrari's came closer to Max; the Ferrari duo hunted down the leader.

"Leclerc is making a move on Verstappen!" Crofty yelled in excitement. "Leclerc is taking the lead in the Italian Grand Prix!" He almost couldn't believe it when he saw the red car passing the blue car in the first corner. "Monza goes wild! Wow!"

But the drama wasn't over. Because Max had to defend his position, he lost some time. Carlos plotted his move, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It took some time for Carlos to find the perfect moment.

"Sainz moves out and has to go round the outside of Verstappen! Can Verstappen hold the second position? No! He can't!" Crofty yelled in one breath. "Ferrari did it again in the same corner!"

The Monza crowd erupted into cheers as the Ferrari cars were leading the Italian Grand Prix, their favourite drivers displaying a level of skill that left fans breathless.

"That move from Matilde Jørgensen did something," Brundle then said. "It's like she pulled out the power of these guys to create the best battle of the year." He covered his mouth with his hand. "Brilliant."

The tension in the Ferrari garage was palpable as the last five laps began. Engineers and team members watched with bated breath, their eyes glued to the screens as Charles and Carlos battled for the lead. Matilde's decision to relinquish control has sent shockwaves through the team, but now, as they watched their drivers for victory, there was a sense of unity and purpose. So far.