|Love 4 Apex| Lando Norris

🏎 8 - Back in the Paddock

Rose felt like herself again as she returned to the paddock, ready to leave the previous weekend's crash behind. Her recovery had been quicker than expected, but she had missed Monza anyway. Now, all her focus was on getting back to racing. As she walked into the garage, the familiar sounds of mechanics and chatter filled the air, grounding her. During her recovery, Lando had been calling her every day, teasing her about missing Harry Styles, who had come as a guest for McLaren in Monza—something that stung even more since she was a huge fan of his music and always listened to his songs before races.

"Well, well, look who's back," a familiar voice said from behind her. She turned around to see Lewis Hamilton strolling over, a wide grin on his face.

"Hey, don't act too surprised," Rose shot back, smirking. "You didn't think I'd let one little crash keep me down, did you?"

Lewis chuckled and threw his arm around her in a friendly gesture. "Nah, I knew you'd bounce back. I was just worried I'd have one less rival to worry about. Got a little too used to finishing P1."

Rose snorted, shaking her head. "Don't get too comfortable. I'll be taking that spot from you soon enough."

"Bold words, rookie," Lewis teased, glancing at her. "You sure you've fully recovered from that knock? I don't want to hear any excuses when I leave you behind."

They both laughed as they headed toward their briefing room. Rose appreciated moments like this with Lewis—the playful banter, the jokes that took the edge off the competition. It reminded her why she loved the sport, even when it pushed her to her limits.

As they passed by the media zone, Lewis leaned in closer. "By the way, Max stopped by earlier. Said he's feeling 'extra cautious' after last week's little incident." He threw up air quotes around 'extra cautious,' his grin widening.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure. 'Cautious' isn't exactly in his vocabulary, is it?"

Lewis shrugged, smirking. "Well, if you need me to 'accidentally' hold up Max and Lando for a lap or two, just say the word. I mean, I'm not really competing with you, right? My eyes are on the championship, not getting caught up in your little scraps."

Rose burst out laughing, nudging him. "Oh, so generous! But don't worry, I'll deal with Max and Lando myself. No need for your charity."

Lewis raised an eyebrow, still grinning. "Alright, just don't end up in the barriers again. I'm trying to stay focused on winning the championship here—can't have you stealing my attention every time you crash."

"Oh, ha ha," Rose shot back sarcastically. "Don't worry, Lewis. I'll finish ahead of you this time. That'll keep everyone calm."

Lewis chuckled. "Fair enough. But seriously, I'm glad to see you back. We missed you at Monza."

Rose smiled, appreciating the sincerity behind his words. "Yeah, it was tough watching from the sidelines. But I'm ready to move on. We've got a race to win."

"Exactly," Lewis replied. "Just keep that confidence going. And, hey, when you're on the podium—because you know, I'll be up there—you can thank me for all the wise advice."

Rose rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling. "Deal. And if you're not on the podium, I expect a public apology for doubting my greatness."

Lewis laughed, shaking his head. "You've got a deal."

As they parted ways to prepare for the upcoming sessions, Rose felt lighter. Lewis always knew how to keep things fun, even when the pressure was high. It was moments like these that reminded her why she loved the sport—and the people in it.