Unbroken hopes|| Charles Leclerc x Max Verstappen(lestappen)Wildest dreams book2

The final push

The minutes ticked by painfully as the race remained under the red flag. Both Charles and Max sat in their respective pit boxes, their engineers hovering, talking quietly to them, but neither could hide their growing frustration. There was debris scattered across the track, wrecked cars to be cleared, and barriers that needed repairs. The entire paddock was in suspense, waiting for word from the FIA. Would the race even resume?

In the Ferrari garage, Charles slumped in his seat, helmet still on, arms crossed as he tried to keep his cool. His leg bounced nervously, his mind racing with what-ifs. He was in a solid position, P2 right next to Max on the restart if the race resumed. But the minutes were ticking away. The longer they waited, the more uncertain everything felt.

His race engineer, Brian, knelt beside him, reading his body language. "They'll get this cleaned up, Charles. They'll want to finish it properly, not like this."

Charles turned his head, locking eyes with Brian. He could feel the weight of the championship on his shoulders, the pressure mounting with every second. "I know," Charles muttered, more to convince himself than anything. "But... what if they don't?"

Brian gave him a reassuring smile, it was all they could hope for.

Over in the Red Bull garage, Max had removed his helmet and was staring blankly at the pit wall monitors. He could see the work being done to clear the track, but he also saw the clock ticking closer to the race's end. The thought of winning the championship under a red flag, without a proper finish, sat heavy on his chest. It didn't feel right.

"Do you think they'll restart it?" Max asked his engineer, Gianpiero.

"I think they'll try," Gianpiero said, glancing at the latest updates. "No one wants the championship to end like this. Too much at stake, especially for you and Charles."

Max nodded absentmindedly, his mind drifting to Charles, sitting just a few garages down. It had been such a hard-fought season for both of them, and as much as he wanted to win his fifth championship, the idea of doing it this way felt hollow.

"Can I have my phone?" Max asked suddenly, his voice steady but soft.

Gianpiero raised an eyebrow but handed him the device without question. Max opened up his messages and quickly shot off a text to Charles.

Max: We'll still fight for this, Charlie. No matter what. Keep your head up.

A minute later, Charles's phone buzzed in his hands. He glanced down, and his heart softened at the sight of Max's message. A small smile tugged at his lips, and he typed a quick reply.

Charles: I'm ready. We'll fight until the last lap. Whatever happens, happens.

The exchange brought both of them a sense of calm amid the chaos. They knew what they were fighting for — but they also knew, more than anyone else in the world, that the fight was fair. It was real, and they respected that about each other.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the FIA made an announcement. The race would resume at 17:30 local time, with a standing start, for two final laps. It was a last-lap shootout for the championship. The entire paddock was electrified with the news, the tension palpable as teams scrambled to prepare for the restart.

Max and Charles both got the news from their engineers at the same time. A standing start meant a clean slate, but only two laps meant there was no room for error.

Charles took a deep breath, letting it settle his nerves. He had fought all season for this moment. His dream was within reach. All he had to do was hold on for two more laps.

Across the paddock, Max mirrored Charles's determination. He knew Charles was fast. He knew he couldn't afford any mistakes. But Max had his own goal in sight: securing his fifth world title.