Yn stood at the edge of the Red Bull garage, watching the team prepare for another race weekend. The hum of the engines, the rapid-fire chatter of engineers, and the frenetic energy of Formula 1 had become familiar to her in the months since she’d joined as the team’s new physiotherapist. Her job was simple in theory—help the drivers recover from the physical toll the sport took on their bodies. In practice, it was a world of pressure, precision, and personalities.
One personality, in particular, dominated the garage: Max Verstappen.
Max was on a winning streak, leading the championship with ease. To the world, he was untouchable—calm, collected, and relentless. But Yn had come to know a different side of him. In the quiet moments during their sessions, away from the cameras and the fans, he showed flashes of vulnerability. The pressure of being the reigning champion, of constantly needing to perform at the highest level, weighed heavily on him, even if he rarely let it show.
Yn had been assigned to work closely with Max, ensuring his fitness and recovery stayed at peak levels. What started as purely professional had slowly shifted into something more… complicated.
“Hey, Yn, you ready for today?” Max’s voice cut through her thoughts. He approached her with that easy confidence, a half-smile on his face as if the stress of being the top driver in the world didn’t exist.
Yn smiled back, pulling herself together. “Of course. Are you?”
Max raised an eyebrow. “Always. Though, I think I’m due for a session after today’s practice. The last race in Spain was brutal on my neck.”
“That’s what I’m here for,” she replied, trying to keep her tone professional, but there was a warmth to their exchanges now that hadn’t been there at the start.
Max nodded, his intense blue eyes lingering on her for just a second longer than necessary before he headed off to the car. Yn exhaled, watching as he disappeared into the chaos of the team preparing for practice.
---
Later that afternoon, after a grueling practice session, Max found Yn in the team’s private recovery area. She had already set up the massage table and was waiting, her focus on the task at hand. But when Max walked in, still in his race suit, his face slightly flushed from the heat and exertion, something unspoken hung in the air between them.
“Neck and shoulders, right?” Yn asked, keeping her tone light.
“Yeah,” Max replied, his usual confidence tempered with a hint of exhaustion.
As Yn worked on easing the tension in his muscles, the silence between them grew comfortable. She’d done this dozens of times before, but today felt different. The proximity, the way her hands moved across his shoulders, the way Max occasionally glanced at her—it was as if something had shifted between them.
“Does it ever get to you?” Yn asked suddenly, surprising even herself with the question.
Max opened his eyes, tilting his head slightly to look at her. “What do you mean?”
“The pressure. Always having to win. Always having to be perfect.”
Max was quiet for a moment, then sighed softly. “More than I let on. Everyone expects me to keep winning, to be this… machine. But it’s not always easy.” He paused. “Especially when you feel like you can’t let anyone see the cracks.”
Yn’s hands stilled for a moment, her heart tugging at his words. She had seen that weight on his shoulders, but this was the first time he had admitted it out loud.
“You don’t have to be perfect all the time, Max. You’re human, just like everyone else.”
He let out a dry laugh. “Try telling that to the fans. Or the team.”
Yn smiled softly, continuing her work. “Well, maybe you need someone who sees you as more than just the driver.”
Max shifted on the table, his eyes locking onto hers. There was something raw in his gaze, something real. “Maybe I do.”
For a long moment, neither of them said anything. The sounds of the paddock outside felt distant, as if they were in a bubble of their own. Yn could feel her heartbeat quicken, aware of how close they were, how vulnerable Max had allowed himself to be in front of her.
“I don’t know how you do it,” Yn said softly, breaking the silence.
“Do what?” Max asked.
“Carry all of that on your shoulders. Week after week. It’s exhausting just watching you.”
Max sat up, swinging his legs off the table, but he didn’t move away from her. “It helps when there’s someone who makes it easier.”
Yn’s breath caught as she realized what he meant. The easy banter, the lingering looks, the way he trusted her beyond the usual professional boundaries—it wasn’t just admiration for her work. It was something more. Something personal.
But before she could respond, the door opened, and an engineer stepped in, oblivious to the moment between them.
“Max, strategy briefing in ten,” the engineer said, not even noticing Yn as he walked out again.
Max stood, his usual confidence returning, but his eyes never left Yn’s. “I’ll see you later?”
Yn nodded, her heart still racing as Max left the room.
---
That evening, after the briefing and the usual media circus, Yn found herself walking along the Monaco harbor, trying to clear her head. The lights reflected off the water, and the air was filled with the sounds of engines revving in the distance. This race was always a spectacle, but tonight, she couldn’t focus on any of it. All she could think about was Max.
Her phone buzzed, and she glanced down to see a message.
Max: Meet me by the marina?
She hesitated for only a second before heading toward the spot where the yachts lined the shore. When she arrived, Max was already there, leaning against the railing, staring out at the sea.
“You came,” he said, turning to her, a hint of relief in his voice.
“I wasn’t sure I should,” Yn admitted.
Max took a step closer, his expression serious. “I don’t want to make things complicated for you. But… I can’t pretend there’s nothing between us.”
Yn felt her breath hitch. “Max, I—”
“You don’t have to say anything,” Max interrupted gently. “I just needed you to know that I don’t see you as just another person on the team. You’re more than that to me.”
Yn’s heart raced, torn between her professional obligations and the undeniable pull she felt toward him. “This isn’t exactly easy, Max. The media, the team… they’ll notice.”
Max nodded, his gaze softening. “I know. But I don’t care what they think. I just care about what you want.”
For a long moment, they stood there, the sounds of Monaco buzzing around them. Yn knew the risks, but as she looked at Max—saw the vulnerability he so rarely showed—she realized that maybe, just this once, she was willing to take a chance.
“I don’t know where this goes,” she said quietly, “but I’m willing to find out.”
Max’s face broke into a genuine smile, and he stepped forward, his hand gently brushing against hers. “That’s all I needed to hear.”
And in that moment, under the lights of Monaco, Yn knew she had just taken the biggest risk of her life—and for once, it wasn’t just Max chasing victory. It was both of them, together.
