Pit Stop of the Heart -Daniel Ricciardo bxb

In the Flow

The paddock was alive with the hum of engines, muffled radio chatter, and the hurried footsteps of team members moving between pit walls and the garage. The weekend had kicked into high gear, and everyone was on edge, busy with final adjustments before practice. Daniel came out of the latest strategy briefing, stretching his arms overhead to shake off the stiffness.

He spotted Lucas standing by the monitors in the garage, engrossed in the latest data readout. Sliding up beside him, Daniel gave him a light nudge on the shoulder. "Figured I'd find you buried in numbers."

Lucas glanced up, the barest hint of a smile appearing. "Part of the job," he replied, gesturing to the display. "Trying to make sure we're not missing anything before you head out there."

"Glad one of us is paying attention to that," Daniel quipped, grinning. "My job's just to drive, right?"

Lucas laughed, shaking his head. "Well, if I left it to you, I'm pretty sure you'd just go out and hit the track on instincts alone."

"Not entirely wrong," Daniel admitted with a playful shrug. "But then I wouldn't get to see that look of concentration on your face. Keeps me on my toes."

Lucas smirked, adjusting his headset. "Just trying to make sure everything's perfect, Ricciardo. We both know you'd be the first to call me out if it wasn't."

"Touché," Daniel replied, watching as Lucas tapped a few buttons on the monitor, highlighting a set of numbers.

"Alright," Lucas said, looking over the final few parameters. "We're ready. Just keep an eye on your rear tires for the first few laps—they're showing a tendency to heat up faster than usual."

"Got it," Daniel replied. He noticed the faint lines of concentration creasing Lucas's forehead and tapped his shoulder again. "You ever relax, or are you all business?"

"Only when you're not around to keep me busy," Lucas replied, his tone dry but light.

Daniel laughed. "Alright, noted. But I'll try not to cause too much trouble out there. Wouldn't want you getting gray hairs too soon."

Lucas rolled his eyes, hiding a grin. "Appreciate that."

One of the engineers gave Daniel the signal, and he turned to head toward his car. Just before he climbed in, he looked back, catching Lucas's eye. Lucas gave a small nod, a gesture that somehow felt reassuring, like a quiet vote of confidence.

As Daniel slid into the cockpit, the world around him faded into focus. The sounds of the paddock faded behind the hum of the engine, and within seconds, he was on the track, weaving through the curves with precision. Over his headset, he could hear Lucas's voice coming through as he called out split times, tire temperatures, and feedback from the team.

It was a solid session, and by the end, Daniel had clocked a lap time that put him in the top bracket for the day. Pulling back into the pit lane, he climbed out of the car to the sound of the team's satisfied murmur. Lucas was nearby, running his eyes over the data once more before he approached.

"Nice job," Lucas said simply, though there was an unmistakable note of approval in his tone.

"Had to make you look good, didn't I?" Daniel joked, catching his breath.

Lucas gave a small smirk. "Not bad, Ricciardo. But don't get too cocky."

"Oh, come on, admit it—you're impressed," Daniel teased, crossing his arms.

Lucas gave him a side glance, his mouth twitching up at the corners. "Alright, maybe a little."

They shared a rare, easy smile, the camaraderie between them settling into something comfortable. The day was far from over, but the small victory felt like a shared accomplishment.

Daniel glanced around, taking in the organized chaos of the garage with its clatter of tools and flashing screens. He turned back to Lucas, the tension of the track lingering but softened by the quiet satisfaction of a good session.

"Hey," Daniel said, lowering his voice slightly, "after everything wraps up here, you feel like grabbing dinner? Something low-key?"

Lucas blinked, looking slightly surprised. "Yeah, sure," he said after a moment, his tone casual but with a hint of something warmer. "Sounds good."

"Great," Daniel said, already looking forward to it. "Just don't keep me waiting."

Lucas shook his head, a small laugh escaping. "Guess I'll have to finish up early for once."

With a final exchange of smiles, they parted ways to dive back into the day's routine.