Full Throttle of Fate

Chapter 5: Shadows of Distance

The Chinese Grand Prix had been challenging from the start.

Severin managed to secure a decent qualifying position, starting the race in P8, but the team knew they were up against it.

The tires had been a problem all weekend, degrading faster than expected due to the abrasive track surface and high temperatures.

From the moment the lights went out, Severin felt the strain. The car responded well, but the grip just wasn't there.

Every corner demanded more from him, and with each lap, the frontrunners pulled further ahead. The tension in the cockpit was palpable, a tight coil of frustration winding tighter with every passing lap.

"Box, box, box."

his race engineer's voice crackled over the radio. The pit stop came earlier than planned, the tires already losing their edge.

Severin peeled into the pit lane, eyes fixed ahead as his team worked with precision.

The stop was efficient, but not enough to keep him from losing positions. He rejoined the race further down the order, now locked in a battle just to stay in the points.

The race wore on, each lap more grueling than the last. The car's balance was off, a nagging issue that he couldn't seem to correct.

The tires degraded faster than expected, forcing him into another pit stop. He re-entered the fray, further down the field, the frustration building as the laps ticked by.

"Let's focus on bringing it home, Sev. We're still in the points." his engineer encouraged, though the strain in his voice was unmistakable.

Severin pushed the car to its limits, but it just wasn't enough. The final laps blurred together in a haze of defensive driving, fending off cars closing in from behind.

As he crossed the finish line, the weight of disappointment settled in his chest.

"P13. Tough day, mate. We'll regroup." his engineer reported, the disappointment clear.

Severin barely registered the words as he coasted the car back to the pit lane. The sting of the result lingered, especially after the highs of the previous races.

Being back with Williams—a backmarker team—had always been a reality, but after tasting success, it was a bitter pill to swallow.

As he made his way through the paddock, snippets of post-race commentary reached his ears.

"Rossi's performance today was a stark contrast to what we've seen recently. The tire degradation was clearly an issue, but it seems like the team couldn't get on top of it. A tough day for Williams after such a strong performance in the past few races."

"Absolutely. It's a shame because Rossi has been outperforming expectations, especially after being dropped by Ferrari. But today just wasn't their day. He'll need to bounce back quickly to keep the momentum going."

The words gnawed at him. He had always been his own harshest critic, but hearing it from others amplified the frustration.

He hated how much he had started to rely on the connection with Serena, as if she were some kind of lucky charm. But now, without her there, everything had gone wrong.

As Severin approached the media pen, the questions were already flying. He answered them with his usual calm demeanor, though inside, his thoughts were turbulent.

Finally, a reporter asked a question that hit closer to home than Severin was prepared for, subtly hinting at Serena's absence.

"Severin, some might say there was a missing element in your routine today. Do you think that could've affected your performance?"