Roads of Redemption | F1 | Toto Wolff

06 | One Caress.

We were all gathered in the room waiting for Lewis to start the debrief of the last race of the first part of the season. The team showed resilience, considering the end of last season, but we knew the challenge this year would be greater than the previous one. We were struggling to adapt to the new regulations and find the ideal setup for our car, which was crucial both for this season and the ones to come. We hadn't won any races in the initial stages, something unusual for a team used to triumph. However, we were consistent. Even without victories, we accumulated important points.

But at that moment, I bet most of us just wanted to be on our way to whatever we planned to do over the next three weeks.

For Lewis, it was a tough start. He struggled a lot with the car and the porpoising issue, which impacted his ability to compete for the top positions. Still, Lewis smiled, a tired but satisfied smile, as he commented, bringing me back to reality.

"Yes, the start was good. I managed to find the right gaps and pushed forward. The medium tire strategy worked well. I kept a strong pace and overtook several cars. The battle with the guys at the front was intense, especially with Max and Charles. I thought we could have been a bit more aggressive on the second stop, but overall, I'm pleased with the result."

"The decision to switch to mediums at the second stop was discussed a lot. Maybe a bit earlier could have helped avoid Max's undercut," Andrew said, agreeing.

"Yes," Lewis sighed. "The communication was good, but maybe an earlier call could have made the difference. When I saw Max approaching, it was already too late to react. It seems his emotional control is on another level this season. Though we all know he's a ticking time bomb. Let's see how long he can endure with this behavior."

(...)

I was reviewing my schedule in the waiting room with my trusted secretary, Sophie. While she was explaining something to me, of which I barely recall, distracted by the blue midi dress that clung to her enticing curves, we were unexpectedly interrupted.

"Wolff," greeted me Briatore with open arms, clearly as distracted as I was by the beauty beside me.

No mixing business with pleasure, I reminded myself.

"Let's go," he continued, pointing to the door. "Christian, Domenicali, Ross, and Cyril are waiting for us."

As we entered the meeting room, I greeted everyone with a nod, without addressing anyone directly, just observing those present to see if there were any more familiar faces.

While placing my briefcase on the table, I heard Christian declare, "The star of the show has arrived," in a clear attempt to draw attention to himself, followed by a stifled laugh from Ross.

Displeased with the transition, Ross took advantage of these situations to somehow demonstrate his discontent with the direction of the conversation.

I sat down, placed my elbows on the glass table, and looked at Christian, analyzing his pathetic attempt to grab attention. I had to lower my face to avoid laughing in his face.

"Shall we begin?" I stated, pulling some documents from my briefcase while Sophie, always efficient, distributed them among the others present.

During my explanation, with everyone already holding the documents, I was abruptly interrupted by Domenicali, which deeply displeased me.

"Toto, we understand your point," he said, cutting me off. "The girl, what's her name again?" Before anyone could answer, my piercing look made him continue quickly. "She is excellent at what she does, so that's the easy part." He paused, perhaps to catch his breath or gather courage, before concluding: "But what do we stand to gain from this?"