Royal Speed | Leclerc & Verstappen

87 | other side

-|- Monaco 2023 - F1 race weekend -|-

"Excited to be on the other side this time?" I asked my husband as we were walking over to the gates where we had to scan the paddock passes.

"I'm not as stressed as usual during this weekend." Max laughed before he laid an arm around my lower back to guide me through the crowd.

"You sure?" I chuckled, turning my head to look up at him as we had to wait for a moment, "Cause there are a lot of royal duties this weekend, so you definitely will get stressed at some point."

"Can't wait for them. I always managed them." he smirked in return before he kissed my cheek and intertwined our fingers.

He was right. These last six months since the wedding there had already been some royal appointments and things Max had to do in his new role as the prince of Monaco, but he always managed them perfectly.

It made me proud, seeing that he was doing them with such a joy and ease, sometimes I was getting even a bit jealous of how cool he stayed, even in tense situations. But we always managed to support each other, we were the perfect match and I was glad that I had married this man last winter.

"Oh my god there's Christian, can I go to him?" Max suddenly beamed and I had to chuckle as I saw his big eyes, hearing him beg.

"Of course, you're not obligated to stay with me the whole day." I returned, knowing how much this weekend meant for him, "This is your event so enjoy it, I'll join later so say hi from me for now."

I then quickly gave him a kiss, squeezed his hand before I walked in another direction with two of my securities while two others followed my husband. The attention on him was huge this weekend, same yesterday at the Qualifying, where we had only shortly visited the paddock.

Once there was the fact that Max was an ex driver, one of the greatest and then there was his new role, the fact that he was now a royal, a prince, making him even more attractive in many eyes.

It would be a lie to say that I wasn't jealous of them, all the fangirls, even fanboys, but I knew he was fully committed to us and our marriage so I wasn't worried.

"Hey Charles, where have you left your husband? Is he back in a car already?" Pierre welcomed me as I stepped into his garage.

"Hi, yeah no, at least I hope not." I laughed in return, still feeling pain in my chest as I knew how much torture this weekend was for Max.

He would see all the drivers, that perfect formula one life he had right in front of his eyes, but he couldn't jump in the car, couldn't drive around this city, couldn't win this race. It was hard, I knew it, but it was the reality and by now he had accepted it.

"But I have a surprise for him, well not really a surprise but maybe at some point." I the told Pierre, who only laughed at my own confusion.

"Why? What have you planned for him?" the French asked and I quickly told him my plan before he had to go to en engineer meeting.

Once we said our good byes I walked down the pitlane, greeting some people, even giving an interview, before I reached the RedBull garage, instantly seeing Max. He was talking to his old race engineer and already from afar I could see the sparkles in his eyes.

In moments like that I blamed myself a little, still, but it was slowly getting better. But I was the reason, I was the damn reason that he wasn't in the car today, that was able to just watch, be at the other side while his ex rivals fought for the win, same as he would like to do.

But before I could get depressed too much, a woman approached me and gave me the last details for my surprise. After that I smiled again and walked into the garage.