Love Me Again

Unspoken promises

Max woke up on Thursday morning in Bahrain with a singular focus: racing. The first race of the season in Melbourne had gone well, and now it was time to continue that momentum. As he prepared for the day, his thoughts were firmly on the upcoming race weekend. He knew there were unresolved issues between him and Charles, but those would have to wait. For now, it was all about the competition.

The circuit was already alive with activity when Max arrived. He made his way to the press conference room, joining the other drivers: Charles, Pierre, Logan, Zhou, and Lando. The media presence was, as always, intense, but Max was used to it. He took his seat, nodding a brief acknowledgment to Charles, who was seated nearby. Their eyes met for a moment, a silent understanding passing between them, but then Max's attention shifted back to the task at hand.

The moderator kicked off the press conference with questions about the upcoming race.

"Max, you had a strong start in Melbourne. How do you feel about your chances here in Bahrain?"

Max leaned into the microphone, his expression calm and confident. "Bahrain has always been a good track for us. The car feels great, and I'm confident we can put in a strong performance this weekend.

The questions continued, each driver sharing their thoughts on the circuit, the strategies, and their expectations. Max answered each question with the precision and focus he brought to his racing. He glanced at Charles occasionally, noting the determination in his eyes, but kept his own thoughts centered on the race.

Another journalist directed a question at Max, "How do you see your rivalry with Charles Leclerc evolving this season, given that you're now teammates?"

Max took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. "Rivalry on the track is natural, especially in a team like ours where we push each other to be the best. But ultimately, it's about working together to achieve the best results for Red Bull. We both know that."

Charles nodded subtly, acknowledging Max's comment. It was a diplomatic answer, but the underlying tension was palpable.

After the press conference, Max quickly made his way out, eager to return to his preparations. He didn't see Charles looking for him, but he wasn't avoiding him either. There was too much at stake this weekend, and he needed to stay focused.

---

Friday arrived with the usual pre-race jitters. Max was one of the first to arrive at the paddock, eager to get started. Free Practice 1 went smoothly, the car responding well to the setup changes. Max pushed hard, logging consistent lap times and gathering valuable data.

During a break, he reviewed the morning's data with his engineers. They discussed tire strategies, potential improvements, and how the car was handling in the desert heat.

"Max, the car looks solid," his race engineer said, pointing at the telemetry data. "Just keep pushing, and we'll make a few tweaks for FP2."

Max nodded, his focus unwavering. "Let's do it. We need to be perfect this weekend."

Free Practice 2 was much the same, with Max pushing the car to its limits. He noted Charles' strong performance but kept his attention on his own progress. By the end of the day, Max felt confident. The car was in a good place, and he was ready for qualifying.

As the day drew to a close, Max found himself in a quiet corner of the paddock, reviewing the data one last time. He noticed Charles walking by, catching his eye. There was a brief, silent acknowledgment between them before they both returned to their own preparations. Despite the underlying tension, there was a mutual respect that neither could deny.