Love 4 Apex | Lando Norris

🏎 40 - Personal Points

The energy at Silverstone was like nothing else, the crowd roaring as Lando looked out at the familiar track. This wasn't just any race; it was his home race. He could feel the weight of the crowd's expectations pressing down, the familiar thrill and pressure of competing on home soil.

He took a deep breath, centering himself, but his gaze drifted toward the screens showing Rose's preparation a few garages down. She was competing for the same honor he was, and there was no mistaking her focus. Silverstone wasn't just another track for her—it was a place that held a piece of her story, just like it did his. Normally, they'd make a bet over who'd take the top spot here, just to add a little rivalry, but not this time.

During the free practices, Lando sensed he had more pace than Franco, but Rose was still ahead, her performance nothing short of astounding. Every lap, she pushed her car to the edge, her setup seemingly perfected. Her Mercedes looked untouchable, and with each lap, it was clear she was on a different level.

As Lando pushed through another lap, his engineer, Will, came through on the radio, his calm voice cutting through the engine noise.

"Looks solid, Lando," Will said. "Pace is looking good. You're holding consistent speed through the high-speed corners."

"Yeah, the car feels decent," Lando replied, eyes flicking toward the screens displaying sector times. Rose's name still topped the leaderboard, her times solidly ahead of everyone else. "But Rose... she's got another gear this weekend. That Mercedes is unreal."

A brief pause crackled through the line before Will replied, "She's fast, no doubt. But you've still got room to find pace. Let's keep pushing."

Lando let out a breath, glancing at Franco's times on the screen. "Franco's trailing a bit. I'm getting the edge on him in the middle sector, but we're still playing catch-up with Rose. She's... just out there."

"She's dialed in," Will agreed. "But we're gathering great data. Franco's working on his setup adjustments, so it'll be close between you two for sure. Just focus on finding those tenths."

Lando nodded, gripping the wheel tighter as he rounded another corner, determination burning in his veins. He could feel the car responding under him, every adjustment bringing him closer. He knew that for Silverstone, his home race, he had to give everything.

"Copy that, Will. Let's find those tenths."

Qualifying had gone as well as Lando could have hoped. As expected, Rose secured pole with a flawless lap, her Mercedes looking untouchable. Lando had pushed hard, extracting every bit of performance from his car to secure P2, just behind her. Franco slotted into P3, close but not quite enough to match his teammate's pace. And Lewis, fighting to find the speed he needed, managed P4, his struggles evident but his skill keeping him competitive.

As Lando climbed out of the car, he glanced over at Rose. She was already celebrating with her team, her earlier look of determination replaced by a victorious smile as her engineers congratulated her. Franco joined her, pulling her into a quick hug, sharing a few words that made her laugh. Lando watched them, feeling a mix of admiration and anticipation. She'd earned pole, there was no denying that, but the race was a different story. Tomorrow, on home soil, he'd have his chance.

As the night wore on, the energy in the paddock shifted from intense focus to a quieter sense of purpose. Most drivers were still around, either pacing through their garages or glued to discussions. But as Lando went over the final details with his engineers, he glanced over to Rose's garage and noticed something strange. She wasn't there.

He'd seen her hours ago, deep in conversation with her team, completely in her element. But now, there was a different energy in her garage—stillness. The engineers moved about quietly, their usual focus seeming a touch heavier. Lando's brow furrowed as he scanned the paddock, looking for any sign of her. Maybe she'd stepped out for a break or headed to another part of the compound, but something felt... off.