Raging Bulls || Max Verstappen MV

21. Trouble

"Got so much to lose

Got so much to prove

God, don't let me lose my mind."

⁂

Christian really hated Monaco, and this time was no different. There was something in the air as he stepped off the plane. It had been tense for the first time in a while with just Max and Daniel, usually those two were laughing and joking for the entire flight. However there were a few things Christian had noticed before wheels even left the ground.

Max and Daniel had arrived individually

Max found a seat far from Christian, put his headphones on, and immediately laid his head against the window.

Daniel greeted Christian when he arrived, looked once at Max then shook his head and took a seat far away from the Dutch driver.

Halfway through the flight Christian had enough and kicked Daniel in the shin.

"Woah, what was that for?" Daniel looked up from his book. Christian motioned towards Max and raised an eyebrow.

"What's his problem? I need to know what we are walking into." Daniel was silent for a moment and inhaled deeply.

"Honestly I don't even know. I went to his room this morning before leaving the hotel and waited, that's why I was late. But the little shit didn't tell me that he'd already left." Christian took that information and tucked it away.

"Well whatever it is, he needs to get over it before we land. It's Monaco weekend and he can't have a meltdown with all eyes on us."

"I hate to be the one to tell you this...but anytime Max and Mati are in the same area , it's not if the blow up will happen, it's when."

⁂

Christain arrived early to the garage and made sure things were prepped for the full team briefing. Unsurprisingly, Max showed up an hour before the indicated start time and sat right down beginning to review the braking and shifting zones. Max's race engineer Gp was the next one in and the two men began talking quietly.

As they approached the beginning of the meeting, Christian could tell that Max was getting more annoyed with every minute that passed.

"I mean we start in ten minutes she should be here." The world champion meant to say it quietly but Christain had developed ears for when his two drivers were at each other's throats. Footsteps echoed down the paddock and the men's heads turned to see...Sebastain Vettel enter...alone.

"Afternoon boys." The German smiled around and only Christian returned the sentiment.

"We start in five." Max chirped from the corner.

"Matilde is right behind me, she got stopped at the gate." This made the Dutchman chuckle.

"I'm heading in." Max and Gp stood and began down the hall towards the conference room.

"What's his problem?" Sebastian looked at Christian and raised an eyebrow.

"Max and Mati just run on different time schedules. He's been here for an hour."

"Well so has Mati...she went for a run around the circuit this morning!" This fact made Christian stop for a moment.

"Really? Max runs the track in the morning as well...I wonder if they see each other." The team principal wondered aloud as a breathless Mati Schumacher entered the garage.