Formula 1 | One Shots

Everything I Wanted | Kimi Antonelli

Author's Note: This story was requested by: RachelN1008 

First story for our lil Italian 😊 
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The air was hot and dry, as Kimi stepped into the Bahrain paddock, his first ever race weekend as an official F1 driver. Despite the excitement, a strange sense of unease was lurking at the back of his mind. FP1 was scheduled for later in the day and Kimi dreaded every possible thought of it.

With his hands clenched at his sides, Kimi strolled through the paddock, soaking in every detail of this new part in his life. He could barely remember feeling this cold in his life, despite the sun blazing down on him. Shivering in his Mercedes team gear, he tugged his jacket tighter, hoping it wasn't obvious how tightly he clutched onto the sides, to stop his hands from shaking. 

For weeks, he'd dreamed of his first days at Mercedes, mentally picturing every moment...impressing Toto, bonding with George, making new friends, absorbing every detail. He just hadn't pictured he'd deo it while feeling like his head was a boiling teapot.

Still, he kept his chin up, teeth clenched and braced himself as Toto approached, with George standing beside him. As they drew closer, George's expression shifted. "Kimi, mate!" he greeted him with a warm smile and a pat on the back. "First race weekend, huh? How are you feeling?"

Kimi tried to smile, but he could feel how tight it was. "Good! Just, you know...first day nerves, I guess."

George's eyes narrowed slightly. He'd been around the paddock long enough to recognize when someone was really okay versus when they weren't. "Yeah? You sure it's just nerves?"

"You're looking a bit...tired. Long travel?" Toto asked.

Kimi swallowed hard. "Ah, no, no. I'm feeling good! Just, uh, ready to get to work," he forced a smile, hoping neither of them could tell that his vision felt like it was slipping in and out of focus.

George raised a brow but said nothing, his gaze lingering on Kimi for a second longer than usual. It made Kimi's stomach twist and he forced himself to stand a bit straighter.

"Good," Toto said, though his expression was less than convinced. "We'll have a busy day, but nothing you can't handle, right?"

"Of course," Kimi managed, though his throat was sandpaper dry.

With that, they launched into the day's plans and Kimi concentrated fiercely, trying to absorb everything they were saying. But every word seemed to split into two as his head pulsed and his body screamed for rest. He'd never thought about just how hot it was in the garage before.

Kimi blinked through the dizziness, catching glimpses of George moving through the briefing, asking questions that Kimi himself had barely even processed. Kimi gritted his teeth, pushing back the warmth pulsing in his temples and determined not to let anything slip.

As the briefing wrapped up, George leaned in beside him, dropping his voice so that only Kimi could hear. "Hey, mate. You sure you're all good?" he asked, his tone, concerned.

Kimi forced a nod, though he noticed George's eyes narrowed, studying him. "Just a lot of information," Kimi said, offering a smile he hoped was convincing. "Don't want to mess anything up on my first day."

George laughed lightly, clapping him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, you're not going to mess up. You're here for a reason," he said, shooting him a wink. "But you've also got to remember that none of us here are superhuman. So if you're not feeling 100 percent..."

But Kimi cut him off with a quick shake of his head. "I'm fine, I promise." His voice sounded steadier than he felt. George watched him a moment longer before nodding, but his expression made it clear he wasn't fully convinced.