Engineered Hearts - Formula One

Chapter 2

March 2023

I can't lie and say the first race of a new season isn't my favourite. Everyone impatient and wanting to get on track as soon as possible to show off their new cars that their teams have been  finalising over the winter break. I am no different, testing went well and now I just want to race to that third world championship. 

Thursday's on race week usually mean a fuck tonne of press and interviews which is a small price to pay to do the job I love. And, gotta give the fans what they want right? Today will be all about interviews with my new teammate Luca Romano who signed with us after last season. Luca's a decent driver but he has a lot to do to compete at my level. Arrogant? Maybe. But I have the world championships to back it up, Luca is yet to get one. And he's got another thing coming if he thinks that he's gonna stop me from getting my third championship in a row this season. 

-

"Luca, how does it feel to sign with the current best team in Formula One?" one of the press asked him one of the most basic questions possible. 

"It feels a dream come true. I still have pictures on my bedroom wall in my parents' home Apex from the 2000's. It's a team everyone wants to race for, with the best team principal, the best mechanics and the best engineers. It is truly an honour to be here," Luca answered with the most basic answer, fitting. 

"Logan, how have you prepared to compete with and against your new teammate for the season?" they asked me. 

I truly don't see the point in these interviews at the start of every season, they ask each driver the same question every year, can't they just reuse old footage or something?

"The same way I prepare for the start of every season. I don't need to prepare differently, I'm a two time world champion for two years running now, I must be doing something round," I answered confidently, earning a few sniggers from other members of the press. 

"Question for Luca," another said and he nodded his head as a sign for them to carry on, "Apex have made a very big decision to hire an engineer from Titan racing who only has two years experience under her belt and decided to make her your Race Engineer. How do you feel about that?" 

Wow, what a shitty question. 

"Grateful. Marcus Hale doesn't bring people in that he doesn't think are capable of the job. I trust that Marcus has assigned Evie to me because he knows she's the best for the job. Plus, we've joined the team at the same time so it will be good to go into the season together," he replied, yep the boy has had his PR training. 

After another twenty minutes of bullshit questions we finally get to leave the press room. What a ball ache. Just get me into the cockpit of my car and let me race. 

Both Luca and I make our way to teams' garage for a meeting with Marcus and with our engineers. As I was walking into the garage on my phone, scrolling through the message requests from extremely attractive women, I bumped into one coming out of the garage. 

"Shit, sorry, wasn't looking where I was going, but I'm quite glad that I wasn't," I shot her a wink. 

She gave me a look of disgust, not the reaction I was expecting or was hoping for. 

"Does that usually work?" she asked making chuckle. 

"Well it's worked every time up to now" 

"How unfortunate," she rolled her eyes sarcastically. 

I quickly scanned her face, recognising her from somewhere, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. 

"Have we slept together before?" I asked abruptly. 

"Excuse me?"

The look on her face gave me the answer I was looking for. 

"I recognise your face so I assume we've slept together at some point," I grinned. 

Before she could reply, Marcus came swooping in. 

"Not harassing my latest recruit are you Kane?" he asked raising his eyebrows. 

Ah, she's the new Race Engineer for Luca. Ooops. 

"Just having a pleasant conversation Marcus," I beamed at him. 

"I wouldn't call it pleasant but if that's what helps you sleep at night, we will leave it at that," she responded, earning a laugh from Marcus. 

"The engineers want to speak with you Logan," Marcus told me. 

"Yeah no problem," I said before walking past the two of them, of course sneaking a peak at her ass. She may be out of my reach but that doesn't stop sneaking a few looks here and there does it? 

-

Friday in Sahkir. The first look at the finalised cars to weigh up my competition. Let's see how good Luca really is...and his engineer. She has a lot to live up to. Bobby Fenton and his engineer Martin Hollow who retired at the end of last season together are legends of Apex and the whole of Formula One. They were a duo ever since Bobby joined Apex in 2005. Everyone wanted Martin as their Race Engineer, even I did. He's the best of the best, they both are. Well up until they retired of course. Both Luca and what's her name...Eva? Something like that anyway, have a lot to live up to. I heard for the first time yesterday that she only has two years experience in Formula One and that wasn't even as a race engineer. That is crazy. Marcus has either lost the plot or can see something that no one else does. But with all due respect, I hope Luca and the engineer girl don't live up to Marcus' expectations because that gives me an advantage, as selfish as that sounds. Everyone always thinks F1 is a team sport, which of course in a way it is. But at the end of the day, there can only be one winner of the drivers championship, and I don't want that to be anyone but me.  So I say good luck to them, because they're going to need it.