Beyond the Track - Oscar Piastri bxb

Moments Between the Noise

The weekend unfolded in the usual blur of race preparations, media appearances, and intense practice sessions. For Oscar, each moment was carefully timed, every second accounted for as his team worked tirelessly to ensure the car was ready for the race. Yet, despite the frenzy, one thought kept resurfacing: Nick.

Oscar hadn't expected someone like him to leave such an impression. In fact, he barely knew the guy. But there was something about the way Nick carried himself - easygoing yet curious- that lingered in Oscar's mind like a song stuck on repeat.

It wasn't until late Saturday, after a long day of practice runs, that Oscar spotted him again. Nick was leaning against a railing near the entrance to the media centre, scrolling on his phone, looking as if he had nowhere else in the world to be.

Oscar's heart skipped. Without thinking, he made his way over, giving himself a moment to steady his breath before speaking.

"Busy day for you?" Oscar asked, trying to sound casual.

Nick looked up, surprised, but a smile broke out across his face. "Hey! Yeah, they've kept me running around, getting interviews, gathering notes, that kind of thing. And you? How's the car feeling?"

Oscar shifted his weight, looking out at the darkened sky. "Good, I think. It's always hard to tell, you know? You've got the car dialled in, but there's that feeling you're missing something. It's like..." He trailed off, struggling to put the feeling into words.

"Like you're chasing something just out of reach?" Nick finished, his tone thoughtful.

Oscar glanced over, surprised. "Yeah, exactly. It's... oddly frustrating and amazing at the same time. Guess you'd have to drive it to understand."

Nick chuckled, shaving his hands into his pockets. "Maybe someday, but I think I'm more comfortable on the sidelines. I get a bit nervous behind the wheel, to be honest. Not exactly a great trait for racing."

Oscar laughed, imagining Nick gripping the steering wheel, his expression tense. "You never know. Might surprise yourself. It's about finding that focus, letting go of the nerves."

They fell into a comfortable silence, the kind that Oscar rarely felt around people he didn't know well. The paddock was quieter now, most of the crew having left for the night. It was rare for him to stand here, simply talking with someone instead of rushing to a meeting or preparing for the next days race.

"Do you ever wonder about what you'd be doing if you weren't racing?" Nick asked suddenly, breaking the silence. He looked down, almost shy, like he hadn't meant to say it out loud.

Oscar hadn't thought about it in a while. Racing had been his life since he could remember. The question caught him off guard.

"Honestly... no" he said, almost surprised by his answer. "This has always been it for me. I can't imagine doing anything else. It's like... a part of me."

Nick nodded thoughtfully. "That's what I thought. I mean, you have this focus, this drive. It's kind of cool. I've always been a bit of a drifter, I guess."

"Drifter?" Oscar looked at him with a faint smile. "You don't seem like one."

"Maybe that's because I'm trying not to be." Nick laughed, his voice soft but a little raw, like there was a part of him he didn't often reveal. "I've bounced around a lot. Different jobs, different cities. This gig... I'm hoping it's a start of something more stable."

Oscar found himself captivated by Nick's honesty. He'd rarely met anyone so open, so willing to admit their uncertainties. In his world, vulnerability wasn't often talked about; it was a silent undercurrent, something everyone felt but rarely expressed.

"Guess we're all trying to find our place, huh?" Oscar said, his voice quiet.

Nick glanced at him, and their eyes met. There was an unspoken understanding in that look, a sense that they both knew something about each other without needing to say it.

"Yeah," Nick replied softly. "Guess so."

A sudden rumble of engines from somewhere nearby broke the moment, reminding Oscar of where they were. He cleared his throat, glancing at his watch. It was late, and he had an early morning. But he didn't want to leave just yet.

"Do you want to grab a coffee or something?" he asked, half expecting Nick to decline. They both had busy schedules, and coffee shops around here would be closing.

Nicks face lights up with a surprised smile. "Yeah, I'd like that."

They found a small, quiet cafe just a short walk away, its warm light spilling onto the empty street. They settled into a corner booth, the clinking of coffee mugs and low chatter around them providing a soft backdrop.

For the first time in a long time, Oscar found himself forgetting about the race, his focus shifting entirely to the person sitting across him. They talked about little things - music, movies, travel - but if felt like more, each shared detail adding to a quiet connection between them.

As the evening drew on, Oscar couldn't help but wonder if he was feeling something he hadn't expected, something that made him feel both excited and slightly unsteady.