Enjoy The Butterflies - English version

23.

For the first time since his accident, Lando returns to the paddock. We are in China for the fifth round of the season. Of course, he is not driving but he comes back to soak up the atmosphere of the place.

Barely after having gone a few meters, Max and Daniel appear out of nowhere and come to say hello to Lando. They seem so happy to see their friend again. Given that they have not had the opportunity to see each other because of the Grand Prix and Lando's physio sessions, I think that the reunion pleases everyone.

Then, unfortunately, I see a camera coming towards us and I immediately recognize the Netflix logo on this camera. No but that's not possible! I put myself between the three drivers and the series teams.

- Miss, can you please move aside, we would like to have this beautiful shot for the series.

- No!

- What do you mean no?

- It's no, Lando needs to find his friends without having a bunch of clowns who absolutely want to know all the gossip in the paddock and make a series about it that only tells shit. So, given that I am his community manager and that I am the one who takes care of his networks and his image, I beg you to kindly leave as soon as possible otherwise you will hear even more about me than you want.

- Well young lady, that's no way to talk to your elders!

- All this because you are men? I assure you, you do not scare me and you are not the one who will call me crazy just because I am the only one who dares to tell you your four truths to your face. Maybe you will finally know the definition of the word no!

The two men look at each other stunned but remain in place like stakes in front of me.

- So, do you want to see the trial I'm going to stick on your ass for image rights or would you rather leave now and maybe you'll have your chance to have Lando in your stupid documentary?

Oddly enough, they don't say a word and leave empty-handed. I don't want Lando's return to the paddock to be under the Netflix camera, he has to come back peacefully. I realize that after all that, the entire paddock is silent. And shit... Then suddenly, Lando comes to hug me, Daniel gives me a high five and Max pats me on the shoulder. They look like three big brothers proud of their little sister. Then, I hear some applause in the nearest hospitality. I take a quick look around me and see a few women getting up from their seats, smiles on their faces.

***

When we finally arrive at the McLaren hospitality, Lando meets Oscar and Bianca. When he sees the girl, he goes up to her and congratulates her. You can tell he's proud of her and considers her a bit like his little sister at McLaren. Then he congratulates Oscar in turn. The Australian who has already won two races out of the first four of the season.

As he told me a while ago, this year is Oscar's year. He'll be the world champion. Plus this year's McLaren is simply a rocket. It's as fast as the RB19 and has the design of the team's old cars. All in chrome, it's just magnificent. It's the return of McLaren's glory years.

I remember when I was little, when my brothers made me watch F1, in the early 2000s. All the cars were magnificent but the chrome McLarens were always my favourites. Anyway, even though my brothers were fervent defenders of Ferrari and Renault, I always preferred McLaren. I won't hide the fact that when Giordano sent me for this job, even though I didn't want to come back to the paddock because of Esteban, I was happy to be in the team that thrilled me when I was little.

***

The start of the race is crazy, Stroll spins, he takes Tsunoda, Ocon and Russell with him. Behind this chaos, Shwartzman has a hydraulic problem that sends him into the wall. The good news in all this is that Oscar and Bianca were able to escape and are now the first two, with Liam Lawson following closely behind them.