𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 ★ charles leclerc

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙮 𝙛𝙞𝙫𝙚, maisie

❝ baby, kiss it better, I... ❞
⇄ ◃◃   ⅠⅠ   ▹▹ ↻

Qualifying is about to kick off and I'm jumping up and down, trying to un-nerve myself. I have to get P1. I need pole. It's my best shot at winning tomorrow.

And now that my family is here, it makes me want to win even more. I want to make them proud more than anything else.

From the moment I step into the garage, there's a sense of calm focus. The team around me is running through final checks, data on screens flickering with real-time information.

I pull my gloves on tighter, the actual thought of qualifying starting to freak me out. This is it, the first qualifying session of the 2019 season, my first ever Formula 1 season.

I get into the cockpit, and Cecilee's voice comes through the radio. "Everything looks good, Maisie. Track temps are stable. We'll do two runs in Q1 — same plan as talked about. Let's get a feel for the car."

"Copy that." I respond, feeling the engine come alive beneath me. The mechanics clear the car and the pit lane opens.

Q1 goes by smoothly. The car feels balanced, light, quick, responsive to every input. The grip is there, and the car feels like it's hooked up perfectly to the track.

I put on a solid time on the first run, and it's enough to safely move into Q2. No mistakes, just a clean, measured run. I'm praying for as good a Q2 and Q3.

In Q2, the intensity is harder. Grip improves and lap times drop. I focus on nailing the braking zones, especially into turn 1 and turn 3.

The rear of the car feels solid, no hint of instability. The corners flow together, and each lap feels smoother than the last.

I push, finding that perfect rhythm that you only get when the car and the track are working together.

After my first run, I'm happy with the time, second fastest behind Lewis. We're strong, but the gap to Ferrari is always unpredictable.

Even though their pace hasn't been there in practice, you never know when they might pull out something extra.

Q3. The big moment. I've got two flying laps. The first is about putting a solid banker lap on the board, and the second is the all-out attack.

"Alright, Maisie" My engineer says through the radio as I roll out of the pits. "We're looking solid. You got this." She motivates me.

The first lap out of the box is smooth. I keep it clean, pushing hard but not risking too much. As I cross the line, I glance at the timing screens. P2. Lewis is ahead, but the gap is tight, just a few tenths. There's more to come.

Back in the garage, the team is quiet, focused. They make some final adjustments to the car, and I take a deep breath. One more run. This is the one that counts. As the clock ticks down, I head back out for my last flying lap.

The out-lap feels like an eternity. I warm up the tires, trying to keep my mind clear, but the adrenaline is there, buzzing just below the surface.

Time to fucking do it.

I cross the line and floor it. Into Turn 1, I brake late, but the car sticks. Sector 1 feels quick, faster than my previous run. As I push through the high-speed chicane in Sector 2, the car feels planted.

And so, the third and final sector begins. I know I've been losing a bit of time here, but this lap feels better. I brake hard into the final corner, hit the apex, and get on the throttle as early as I can.

As I cross the line, my heart's pounding, and I glance up at the timing screen. "P2, Mais. Lewis got you by a tenth." Cecilee informs, a slight tension in her voice.