Formula 1 | One Shots

I Think He Knows | Logan Sargeant

Author's Note: This story was requested by reader: F1_Alex 

FLUFFFFY, lil angst 
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It was finally the start of the 2024 Formula 1 season. Logan stood by the Williams garage, looking around the paddock, his eyes searching for a familiar face. Today felt different, special. He'd dreamed about this moment countless times, but never quite like this. Alex...his best friend, was finally here with him. She was no longer just his friend, she was his teammate.

They'd met so many years ago, two scrappy kids at a karting track in Miami. Logan remembered the day clearly...he'd been waiting for his turn to race, adjusting his helmet when he saw her. Alex had that fierce determination in her eyes that he'd recognized instantly, even at that age. She wasn't one to back down from a challenge and Logan, always up for some competition, was drawn to her.

"Think you're fast?" he'd asked, smirking.

"I know I'm fast," she'd shot back, matching his smirk.

From that day on, they were inseparable, showing up at every local race, pushing each other to be better, to take risks, to never settle. Logan couldn't help but smile as he remembered the way they'd cheer each other on from the sidelines, or trade tips on their lap times, always teasing but always rooting for one another.

There was one time, late in the day, when the track was empty and they were the last ones out there. They sat side by side on the grass, helmets off, their hair still messy from the races. They were just kids with stars in their eyes, talking about the future.

"When we're in F1 one day, it's gonna be us," Logan had told her, with all the confidence of a kid who believed in anything.

"Promise?" she'd replied, stretching out her pinky.

"Promise."

Years passed and their journey to F1 had its share of detours, setbacks and moments of doubt. Alex had faced some tough breaks with sponsorships and there were days Logan worried she might give up. But Alex never did. She pushed through every setback, showing up with that same determination that had made Logan believe in her the day they'd met.

And now, here they were, both wearing the Williams blue and white, ready to take on the season together.

As he looked across the garage, Logan spotted her adjusting her gloves, taking a deep breath before her first ever FP1. She looked up and caught his eye, her face breaking into a smile.

He walked over, unable to hide his own grin. "Look who decided to show up. Thought you ran for the hills," he teased.

"Don't get too comfortable, Logi. I'm coming for that lap time of yours," she shot back.

Logan laughed, giving her a playful nudge. "Good luck with that, rookie."

She rolled her eyes. "Please. I've got it down. Besides, I've improved. Just wait till I leave you in my dust."

For a moment, they were those kids back on the karting track, pushing each other to be the best. But this time, it was real. This was Formula 1.

Logan reached out, gently punching her arm. "Al...I'm proud of you, you know that?"

Alex's expression softened. She looked at him with the same fierce loyalty he'd come to cherish over the years. "Same here, Logan. We kept our promise."

They stood in silence, letting that truth settle between them, the weight of all those years, the late nights, the races won and lost. It was hard not to get emotional thinking about it.