Formula One Shots

Couple's therapy

° Max and GP (his engineer)

° No smut/ no romantic feelings

So there's a bit of physical violence and lots of harsh words, but happy end guys! You're warned.

(Max's past is slightly implied/nothing too heavy)

Set after the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix

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POV: Max

I'm fuming. Today was a complete disaster, wrong strategy, wrong moves, wrong time. And even wrong car, it was impossible to drive without oversteering and understeering everywhere. So many points drifting away from me, especially as Lando finished second. A chance he's not first, that would have been even worse for me.

And now that team meeting that never ends. When will they understand that I do not go back on what I say during a race, or the interviews after? I said what I said and I stand by it. This was a shitty race, with a shitty strategy and no help from the team whatsoever. I know it's harsh, but it's meant to be or they don't listen to me. Even GP was against me today, and it's probably what hurt me the most.

He's generally a pretty good barrier between me and the rest of the team, calming everyone to get me to perform at my best. But not today, he chose to listen to them and shut me up pretty... violently. And I'm so mad. Mad about the crash with Hamilton, about the incident with Lando at the beginning. Literally everything makes me angry right now. I bet the stewards are gonna give me a penalty as well, right? Yeah, why not huh?

— So Max, what could you propose so that today's issue doesn't repeat itself?

Christian's voice is so irritating right now, I don't even know why but I suddenly can't stand it anymore. I try to calm down though, and answer as coldly as I can.

— Maybe get the strategy right in the first place so we don't get undercut like fucking beginners twice?

As everyone grimaces around the table, I know it wasn't what they wanted to hear. But I'm not here to pretend being nice, I'm saying what I think and they should thank me for that. At least, we don't waste time stupidly and we can actively improve.

— Max, you know we're talking about the angry radio messages, I get that not everything was going your way, and many of us already apologised for today's mistakes, but you didn't. It's time to mature a little don't you think? This attitude is bringing nothing positive. My engineer says, and for the first time I completely lose it in front of him.

— No, you're gonna listen to me! I'm the one in the car, trying not to crash every corner because the car is shit and I have to focus, although your annoying voice is in my ears constantly, telling me to "be more gentle" or whatever. Yes you made a mistake, and I'm blamed for it because I'm complaining through the radio? Isn't that what you told me to do so the stewards examine with more attention the incidents we're involved in? I don't think I understand your sudden change of heart, and I don't think I like it either. I don't need to apologise, I did nothing wrong.

There's a complete silence once I stop talking, as I feel my heart beating with rage and overwhelming me. Somewhere deep down I know I fucked up, I never talked like that to GP, never shouted like this. But I feel the same pressure as 2021 coming back and it brings so many bad memories that... I get angry way quicker and I can't control it.

— The meeting's over, sorry guys we'll settle this don't worry, Christian says to everyone, turning his back to me and GP. Not you two, I have something to say.

I know he wouldn't fire me or punish me really bad, it sucks for Checo but I'm clearly Redbull's golden boy, and I know it. But I never saw such a cold gaze in my boss' eyes, and I have to admit it scares me a little.