ᴄʜᴀꜱɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏʀɪᴢᴏɴ ; ᴏꜱᴄᴀʀ ᴘɪᴀꜱᴛʀɪ x ꜰᴇᴍ!ᴏᴄ

Tensions and Connections

As the season progresses, a sense of friction begins to settle within McLaren's ranks. The team is on the edge of something great—their car is showing marked improvement, and both drivers are performing well. But despite the visible progress, cracks are starting to form behind the scenes.

McLaren's strategists are a group of seasoned veterans, highly respected for their experience but rooted in conservative, risk-averse thinking. They have a rigid way of doing things, often relying on strategies that have worked in the past rather than embracing innovation. This is where Amelia Novak, with her advanced simulation models, comes into conflict with the traditional mindset. Her ideas—based on cutting-edge AI-driven algorithms—are seen as untested, theoretical. Her youth and relative inexperience in the F1 world don't help her cause, and her proposals are often dismissed or ignored altogether.

The dynamic in the strategy meetings becomes clear: Amelia, sitting quietly among the senior engineers, finds her voice often overshadowed. When she does present her analysis, pointing out potential gains through unconventional strategies, she's met with scepticism. It's not overt hostility, but a subtle form of condescension—comments about "overcomplicating" things or that "simulations don't account for the real unpredictability of racing."

Oscar, sitting in on these meetings, watches the tension unfold. He can sense Amelia's growing frustration, though she hides it well behind a mask of professionalism. He, too, feels the weight of McLaren's traditional approach bearing down on his own ambitions. He's consistently placing within the top six, but the elusive podium continues to slip away. Each race, there's a sense that more could be done—that with the right strategy, he could break through the barrier.

Lando, on the other hand, seems more at ease with the team's decisions. He's performing well—finishing just ahead of Oscar in several races—but his easygoing, charismatic nature helps him navigate the internal politics without much stress. While Lando's charm makes him a favourite with the team and the media, Oscar's calm, methodical demeanour sometimes alienates him. The team respects him, but he feels the growing distance between himself and the engineers who seem to prefer working with Lando's more carefree attitude.

In private moments, Oscar begins to question the direction the team is heading. He sees potential in Amelia's ideas but is caught between supporting her and not wanting to rock the boat too much in a team already struggling with internal tensions. The frustration gnaws at him, a quiet, simmering tension that adds to the pressure he feels from the outside world.

As the season drags on, Oscar finds himself spending more time alone at McLaren's headquarters, often working late into the night. While most drivers prefer to leave the technical analysis to the engineers, Oscar takes a different approach. He pores over data, reliving races lap by lap, trying to find where small improvements could be made. It becomes a routine—one that helps him make sense of the chaotic, high-stakes world of Formula 1.

One evening, long after most of the team has left, Oscar is back at his usual spot in the simulator room, lost in numbers and telemetry. The low hum of machinery and the glow of monitors fill the space as he sifts through lap data from the last race, trying to decipher what went wrong in the final stint. As he flips through pages of numbers, he hears footsteps and looks up to see Amelia entering the room.

She hesitates for a moment, unsure if she's interrupting, but Oscar gives her a small nod of acknowledgment. Without a word, she sets her laptop on the desk across from him, her presence a quiet but welcome distraction from the isolation he's felt lately.

"Still analysing Bahrain?" she asks, her voice soft, as though she's used to being drowned out by the noise of the world around her.

"Yeah," Oscar replies, rubbing his temple. "I think we missed something. I can't shake the feeling that the timing was off... maybe the pit stop strategy again."

Amelia pulls up her own data, her fingers moving swiftly over the keyboard. "You're right. There was a window—about two laps before you pitted—where you could've gained time on Alonso. My model picked it up, but... well, you know how it goes in the meetings."

Oscar leans in, his interest piqued. For the first time since they started interacting, their conversation flows more naturally, without the tension of professional hierarchies. Amelia walks him through the simulations she's been running—complex models that predict different race scenarios based on a myriad of factors like tire wear, weather forecasts, and even the nuances of driver behaviour. The depth of her analysis is staggering, far more sophisticated than anything Oscar has seen from the senior strategists.

He's fascinated, but also frustrated. "Why isn't this being used more?" he asks, a trace of irritation creeping into his voice.

Amelia shrugs, a resigned smile tugging at her lips. "The team's stuck in its ways. The data's there, but they don't trust it. They want to stick to what's worked in the past."

The two fall into a rhythm, discussing different races and strategies well into the night. Oscar begins to realise how much he shares in common with Amelia—both of them are outsiders in their own way. Oscar, despite being the golden boy of McLaren, often feels like he's on the outskirts, quietly methodical, while Lando soaks up the spotlight. Amelia, meanwhile, is an unassuming figure in the background, her brilliant work unnoticed or dismissed by those unwilling to change.

As the nights go on, their connection deepens. It's not just about the data anymore—it's about the understanding that grows between them. There's a quiet solace in their late-night conversations, a shared sense of being overlooked despite their talent. They challenge each other's ideas, pushing the boundaries of what the car—and they themselves—are capable of achieving.

Their bond remains professional at first, but beneath the surface, something more begins to stir. There's a comfort in their shared passion for perfection, a mutual respect that slowly starts to shift into something more personal. Neither of them acknowledges it outright, but the unspoken understanding lingers in the air. They are both searching for recognition and a place where their voices can be heard. In each other, they find a rare kindred spirit—a partner who understands the complexities of their world.

The hours pass unnoticed, their discussions ranging from strategy to their personal frustrations with the sport. The simulator room, usually a space of cold, hard data, becomes a refuge where Oscar and Amelia can let their guard down. In the quiet hum of the McLaren headquarters, amidst the glow of telemetry screens and the muted noise of the night, they forge a connection that is both intellectual and emotional, though neither is fully ready to admit it yet.