|Love 4 Apex| Lando Norris

🏎 10 - Victory Against the Odds

The city of Baku was alive with the sound of roaring engines as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix entered its final stages. The sun was setting over the Caspian Sea, casting a golden glow on the street circuit, and the tension was at an all-time high. Lando had qualified on pole, with Rose right beside him in P2 after a challenging recovery. Lewis was P3, and Daniel had taken P4, but this race was shaping up to be a showdown between the two teammates.

As Rose sat on the grid, waiting for the lights to go out, a surge of confidence swept through her. The doubts from the previous day had faded, and despite the struggles in free practice and qualifying, she felt ready. Her body, which had betrayed her with weakness and fatigue earlier in the weekend, now felt strong and steady. The tension in her muscles was gone, replaced with a calm energy. She was back to her best, and she knew it. Today was going to be her day.

From the moment the lights went out, it had been a fierce battle. Lando had led most of the race, but Rose had been on his tail the entire time, not giving him a moment to breathe. Their fight was relentless, exchanging fastest laps and pushing each other to the absolute limit.

With just a few laps remaining, Rose knew the only way to win was to get everything perfect in the closing moments. Lando had the advantage on the tighter corners, but Rose knew she had the speed on the long straights, and Azerbaijan's final straight was one of the longest on the calendar.

Lando's race engineer, Will, came through on the radio, the tension clear in his voice. "Lando, 1.4 to Rose. DRS could be a threat on the straight."

Lando's hands tightened on the steering wheel, his voice calm but focused. "Got it. Just keep me updated."

"Lando, she's closing in—1.1 now."

Lando glanced in his mirrors, catching a glimpse of Rose's car edging closer. "I see her."

He knew he had to defend perfectly to keep his lead, but Rose was relentless.

Meanwhile, Rose was equally determined. "What's the gap?" Rose asked, her tone sharp with frustration.

"Gap to Lewis behind is 2.1 seconds," Mark, her race engineer, replied.

Rose rolled her eyes, knowing it was obvious what she was asking for. "Gap to Lando, you muppet!" she snapped.

Mark chuckled softly over the radio. "1.1 to Lando. DRS will be available if you keep pushing."

Rose couldn't help but laugh inside her helmet. "Muppet?" she muttered. "Lando's starting to rub off on me."

Mark laughed again. "Yeah, I'd say so. Focus now, you've got this."

Back with Lando, Will was quick to provide another update. "0.9 to Rose, she's getting DRS. Defend the straight."

Lando gritted his teeth as he prepared for the final showdown. "Copy that. I'll do what I can."

Lap by lap, Rose chipped away at the gap, inching closer to Lando's rear wing. Every corner felt like a battle, her tires screaming for grip as she fought to keep pace with him. As they hurtled down the straight, her excitement bubbled over.

"Oh my, this is so fun!" Rose laughed into her radio, her adrenaline peaking as the gap between them closed. She was in the zone, loving the intensity of the chase.

The crowd was on their feet as they entered the final lap, the tension building with every second. Into the last corners of the race, Rose was right behind Lando. She could see him glancing at his mirrors, his car edging out slightly to defend his position. But she wasn't going to give up. Not today.

As they blasted down the final straight, Rose opened her DRS. The gap was tiny—milliseconds—but she could feel herself gaining on him. The finish line was fast approaching, and her heart was racing faster than the car.