The energy in the paddock was still alive with excitement from the race as Rose made her way from the podium, her suit still damp from champagne and the adrenaline still coursing through her veins. Reporters had already gathered, eager to grab her for a few questions before she even had a chance to catch her breath.
With a smile plastered on her face, Rose adjusted her cap, preparing for the onslaught. She knew the routine—questions about the race, strategy, and, inevitably, about her personal life.
A familiar reporter from Sky Sports caught her attention first, mic in hand, and Rose nodded, signaling she was ready.
"Rose, congratulations on an incredible race today! You came so close to Lando at the finish. Can you talk us through those last few laps and your battle with him?"
Rose smiled, wiping some lingering champagne from her face. "Yeah, it was intense! Lando was absolutely flying out there. I pushed as hard as I could in those final laps, but he defended brilliantly. I thought I might get him on that last straight, but it wasn't meant to be. It was a great battle though—probably one of the most fun ones I've had in a long time."
The reporter nodded, then quickly moved on to what Rose had been expecting.
"And speaking of battles off the track... There have been some rumors circulating about you and Franco Colapinto. You two were spotted together recently—can you give us any insight into your relationship with him?"
Rose tilted her head, the corners of her lips quirking up. "Franco and I?" she teased, glancing around as if to draw out the suspense. "Well, I suppose I should start by saying he did a great job today—P6 in his debut? That's pretty impressive for Williams."
She let her words hang for a moment, her smile deepening as she noticed the reporters leaning in, hungry for more. "We've spent a bit of time together lately, haven't we? Racing brings people closer, you know. We've had a lot to talk about—cars, strategy, life... the usual." She shrugged nonchalantly, her eyes glinting with mischief.
The crowd was buzzing with excitement, clearly hoping she'd spill more, but Rose wasn't going to give them the satisfaction. "As for anything else, well..." she trailed off, raising her eyebrows in playful ambiguity. "I guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"
The reporters erupted in a mix of laughter and murmurs, clearly intrigued but left wanting more. Rose could tell they were hooked, speculating about what might be brewing between her and Franco.
Before anyone could ask another question about him, another reporter seized the moment.
"Rose, we saw you run straight to Lando after the race, and he lifted you off the ground in celebration. It's not something we usually see between drivers—can you tell us more about that? It seemed like a pretty personal moment."
Rose blinked, momentarily caught off guard. She hadn't expected the hug to be brought up, especially not like this. Her gaze flicked across the paddock to where Lando was giving his own interviews, a light blush creeping up her neck. She quickly recovered, flashing the reporter a teasing smile.
"Oh, that?" she laughed softly, shaking her head. "Well, I mean, it was his first win, and I was just so happy for him. It felt like the right thing to do—celebrate with him in that moment. We've known each other forever, so yeah, maybe I got a little carried away."
She paused, the playful glint returning to her eyes. "But, you know, lifting someone off the ground? I guess that's Lando's way of showing his excitement. It's not something we plan, trust me," she added with a laugh, "but it's definitely not the first time I've been swept off my feet by a race."
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|Love 4 Apex| Lando Norris
Fanfiction"What if we're better as a team?" Lando asked, his gaze softening. "We're better as rivals," Rose replied, her heart pulling her in two directions. In this world of speed ambition friendship and love, every race could change everything-on and off th...