Pit Stop of the Heart -Daniel Ricciardo bxb

Balancing Act

The breakfast buffet was surprisingly quiet for a race day. Most of the team personnel and drivers had likely opted for room service or an early meal to avoid the crowd. Daniel and Lucas found a small table near the window, the morning sunlight streaming in and warming the room.

Lucas piled his plate high with eggs, toast, and bacon, while Daniel stuck with something lighter—a bowl of fruit and a strong coffee. Neither of them commented on the disparity, but the way Lucas eyed Daniel's plate with mock disapproval made Daniel chuckle.

"That's it?" Lucas asked, gesturing toward the sparse bowl. "You're a professional athlete, Ricciardo. Fuel yourself properly."

Daniel grinned, raising his coffee in mock salute. "This is fuel. Coffee is the breakfast of champions."

Lucas rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the amused smirk that followed. "You're impossible."

They ate in companionable silence for a while, the din of clinking dishes and low conversations filling the space around them. Despite the calm of the moment, Daniel couldn't shake the low buzz of nerves thrumming beneath his skin. He wasn't sure if it was the upcoming race, the fact that they were sitting here together, or the lingering aftershocks of the previous night.

Lucas finally broke the silence, glancing out the window. "How are you feeling about today?"

Daniel shrugged, setting down his fork. "The car felt good yesterday. It's just about execution now." He paused, glancing at Lucas. "What about you? First proper race day as a journalist—nervous?"

Lucas tilted his head, considering the question. "A little. But not about the reporting part. That's the easy bit. It's... everything else."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Everything else?"

Lucas hesitated, his fork hovering over his plate. "You know, just... trying to navigate this world. Finding the balance between getting the story and respecting the people behind it." He looked at Daniel, his expression more serious than usual. "People like you."

Daniel nodded, understanding what Lucas meant. The F1 world could be relentless, and while Lucas had proven himself capable, it was still a tough landscape to navigate. "You'll figure it out," Daniel said confidently. "You're good at this. And... you care, which is more than I can say for some people."

Lucas smiled faintly, his eyes softening. "Thanks."

They lapsed into silence again, but this time it wasn't uneasy. Daniel caught himself stealing glances at Lucas, his mind drifting back to the night before. There was a shift now, a quiet understanding between them that hadn't been there before. It wasn't something they needed to talk about—at least not yet.

As they finished their meal and got up to leave, Daniel felt a pang of reluctance. The rest of the day would pull them in different directions—Daniel to the garage and Lucas to the media pen—and he wasn't ready to let the moment end.

Before they stepped out of the restaurant, Daniel reached out, brushing his hand against Lucas's arm to get his attention. Lucas turned, eyebrows raised.

"Good luck today," Daniel said, his voice low but sincere.

Lucas smiled, his expression warming. "You too."

For a second, Daniel thought about saying more, but the moment passed, and they walked out together.

...

The paddock was already buzzing with activity when they arrived, the usual race day energy palpable in the air. Daniel had barely made it to the Red Bull garage when he heard Blake calling his name, his engineer waving him over for a pre-race briefing.

"Duty calls," Daniel said, glancing at Lucas.

Lucas nodded, his gaze steady. "Go. I'll see you around."

Daniel lingered for a second longer than necessary, then nodded and turned toward the garage. As he walked away, he couldn't help but glance back. Lucas was still standing there, watching him with a small smile.

The rest of the day loomed ahead, full of the usual chaos and adrenaline of race day. But for the first time in a while, Daniel felt grounded, like he had something—or someone—to look forward to beyond the checkered flag.