La Novellina: beyond the helmet

Formula 4 - chapter 8: Mercedes Junior Team

The long-awaited day has arrived.

Micky and Marco are on the plane to Birmingham to reach the Mercedes headquarters and meet Toto to talk about her entry into the Mercedes Junior Team.

She is restless: on one hand she wants to join it so badly but on the other she doesn't want to leave AKM Motorsport, which has now become her family, and, above all, Marco...

-

Once they arrive at the Birmingham airport, they stop to eat at Burger King; in a fit of sympathy, Marco starts to order a lot of things but becomes perplexed when notices that Micky has only ordered an Oreo ice cream...

"Is everything okay?" he asks.

She doesn't answer...

"Everything will be fine and I will stay by your side as much as possible, you don't have to be afraid of anything"

She listens to everything while remaining silent...

He only realizes that she feels slightly better when she, secretly, starts stealing some french fries from his tray...

-

After an hour and a half of taxi, the two finally reach Brackley.

Micky finally seems to be her old self again: she even asked the taxi driver if it was possible to connect her Spotify to the car radio and, after receiving his approval, she started playing songs like "Club Leclerc", "Daniel Ricciardo", "Let's go Lando!" and "Super Max!" at full blast, engaging Marco in dancing and singing.

When they got to the entrance, however, the situation changed...

She expected to find someone from the team, like an employee, to welcome her but instead there was him...

Toto Wolff!

Anxiety gets the better of her: she approaches Marco, taking his arm without ever taking his eyes off the Mercedes' team principal, and the latter, who now knows her like the back of his hand, accompanies her to the entrance, almost pushing her.

"Good morning Toto. She is Micky, the precious stone of my team" Marco says.

"Nice to meet you again, Micky"

Toto's tone is kind and welcoming but, even so, she couldn't relax and still looked worried.

"Maybe it's better to go in and get familiar with the place... Let's take a tour, maybe even of the room containing Bottas' car" Marco says, knowing the weight of that words.

This sentence seems to wake up her...

Her eyes start to shine and Toto, noticing it, remains a bit perplexed...

-

As they enter the facility, the Mercedes' team principal starts leading the duo through the corridors of the HQ, showing off all the trophies that made up the walls of the place.

But, when they enter the room where the car in question is kept, Micky is amazed.

She runs over to the Valtteri's Mercedes W12, caressing it with her fingers...

"Marco, is... Is it possible to sit in it? I understand that no one can but... I just want to understand the feeling..."

"You have to ask him, not me darling..." he replies.

She turns to the CEO and, in a fit of courage, manages to say a few words.

"Could i try it? Not on the track eh, i just want to sit in it..."

"I don't see why not, let's do it"

The Mercedes' team principal tooks her over the car, helping her to enter in it.

As she sat down in the car, she closes her eyes, feeling the seat and the controls...

"There is something magical in this car... I feel powerful but at the same time it has a sort of comfort within itself... It's incredible..."

This sentence hits Toto, so he starts to watch her closely: she is smart and has a lot of potential...

She can be the future of Mercedes!

He decides to approach more the car, which he has always tried to stay away from due to the memories of his badly managed relationship with Valtteri, and to lower himself until he has the girl face to face, keeping his balance by holding onto the halo.

"Micky... When you think about Formula 1, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?"

"The team... The driver is nothing without it. It's like a boat without an engine, it can only get by with its oars alone..."

Toto smiles, she is truly perfect!

The answer was exactly what he had always believed: a driver is nothing without his team, in both victories and defeats.

The words come out from his mouth without control.

"Welcome to the team Micky, from next year you'll officially be part of the Mercedes Junior Team!"

Without even realizing it, she jumps out of the cockpit and finds herself standing on the front of the car, just like drivers do when they win a grand prix.

"Really?!" she shouts.

"Sure kid. I'm also happy to notice that it would take you little time to get out of a burning car..." he jokes, before turning his back and walking away.

Luckily Marco, who is more organized than the CEO and his future academy driver, remembers a very important aspect.

"How should we behave with Prema Racing?"

Toto stops suddenly and bursts out laughing.

"You're right... I'm really absent-minded... Butyou know me well, you know that i don't even remember what i ate for dinneryesterday... Anyway, i'll put you in contact with the team and, as soon aspossible, Micky will have a meeting with his new team and team principal!"