Chapter 4: The PR Game

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It was only a few weeks since the announcement of Mark joining Red Bull, and already the buzz around him and Max as a team was louder than anyone expected. With Mark and Charles' on-track rivalry now intensifying, the fans were eating it up, especially online.

The first PR stunt was a friendly interview together, one that the team had set up. The two sat side by side, both in their Red Bull and Ferrari gear, laughing for the cameras and feeding the media with sound bites.

"I'm just warning you," Mark grinned at Charles, "I've got a lot more jokes lined up for this season. It's gonna be unbearable."

Charles rolled his eyes, but there was a smirk tugging at his lips. "Oh, I've been preparing. Mentally and emotionally. Don't worry."

The interviewer chuckled, glancing at the fan-submitted questions on their cue cards. "The fans are really excited to see the two of you on the grid together again. They've been... very active online."

Mark glanced at Charles, and they both knew what "active" meant — the ship comments, the fan theories, and the endless jokes flooding social media.

"Oh, yeah?" Mark leaned in, flashing a smirk at the camera. "Anything juicy?"

The interviewer laughed, flipping through the cards. "Well, one fan wrote, 'Charles and Mark, who's better at handling the media attention?'"

"I think it's obvious," Mark started, but Charles cut in smoothly.

"Definitely me," Charles teased, his grin widening. "Mark's terrible at it."

"Hey!" Mark feigned offense, poking Charles' arm. "I'm great with the media! I give the people what they want."

Charles raised an eyebrow. "By singing *Material Girl* in a club?"

The whole crew burst into laughter, and the comments on social media were already going viral.

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Instagram Live Comments:

@speedygirl1987: "CHARLES CALLING OUT MARK LIKE THAT, I'M DYING"

@MarkSpencerFans: "OMG THEY'RE LIKE AN OLD MARRIED COUPLE ALREADY!!"

@Charles_LeclercxFan: "Mark, we all LOVED the *Material Girl* performance, ignore him 😂 #BestNightEver"

@queenf1fan: "PR stunt? More like PR flirting. You two better KISS on camera, I'm begging."

@F1RumorHQ: "Everyone in the room seeing that sexual tension is palpable 👀👀"


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The interview moved on to the next fan question.

"Alright, next one: 'If you had to pick one teammate to be stuck on a deserted island with, who would you choose?'"

Charles laughed, already shaking his head. "Don't make me choose."

Mark shot a look at him, mockingly clutching his chest. "Wow, I'm right here."

"No, I mean—" Charles backtracked, clearly trying to navigate the question. "Well, Mark would be good at keeping things entertaining, but Max... Max might actually help me survive."

"Okay, I see how it is," Mark said, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Charles doesn't appreciate my survival skills. Noted."

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Twitter Fan Reactions:


@RedBullRacing_Fan: "Mark really out here acting like a drama queen and Charles is just DONE with him. They're comedy gold, I swear."

@ferrariforever: "CHARLES SAYING MAX WOULD HELP HIM SURVIVE. MARK I'M SORRY, BUT YOU'RE JUST HERE FOR VIBES 😂"

@FanfictionHQ: "Get them on a deserted island ASAP and let's see how long before they *really* appreciate each other..."

@Formula1_Memes: "This interview is like a sitcom with the way Mark and Charles banter back and forth."


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After the interview, they moved on to the photoshoot part of the PR day. The team had organized some promotional shots, but the candid moments between Charles and Mark were the ones that stole the show. They'd laugh between takes, Mark trying to make Charles break his serious face while posing.

During one moment, the photographer caught Mark casually slinging an arm around Charles' shoulder, pulling him close in a friendly hug.

"Oh, we'll break the internet with this one," Mark said, grinning at the camera.


Charles, smiling faintly, shook his head. "You're going to be insufferable this season, aren't you?""You love it."

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Behind-the-scenes footage later posted on Instagram:

- Mark messing with Charles' hair during the shoot.

- Charles trying to stay composed while Mark makes funny faces behind him.

- Mark pretending to "model" in exaggerated poses until Charles pushes him off-screen, both of them laughing.

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Instagram Comments:


-@MarkSpencerFans: "Okay but the way they're so comfortable with each other now??? This is what we LIVE FOR"

- @F1_PRteams: "These two make the best PR team ever! The energy is unreal."

- @FerrariNation: "I think Charles was actually smiling the whole time for once! WHAT IS THIS SORCERY, MARK?!"

- @ThirstyF1Fans: "Mark. Stop. Touching. Charles. I can't HANDLE THIS."

---By the end of the day, Mark and Charles had wrapped up their PR obligations, but their chemistry and ease with each other were undeniable. The internet buzz was louder than ever, their interactions fueling both shippers and die-hard fans alike.

As they walked off set, Charles nudged Mark. "You're really enjoying this, huh?"

Mark laughed. "Can't help it. You're just so much fun to mess with."

Charles shook his head, but he couldn't hide the smirk on his face. "You better bring this energy to the track, Spencer."

"Trust me," Mark replied with a wink, "I've got plenty more where that came from."


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