Landoscar oneshots

Chapter 23: Social Media for Dummies

Oscar Piastri had always believed in letting his driving do the talking. But as he sat across from Zak Brown in McLaren's hospitality suite, it became clear that his team principal had other ideas.

"Oscar, you're an incredible driver, but you need to work on your public image," Zak said, leaning forward. "Fans want to connect with you. That means social media, interviews, sharing a bit of your personality."

Oscar blinked. "I'm not exactly an influencer, Zak."

Zak sighed. "I'm not asking for TikTok dances. Just show people who you are. Post on Instagram more—give them a reason to cheer for you beyond your lap times."

Oscar nodded reluctantly, though the idea of putting himself out there felt as natural as driving on ice.

A few days later, Oscar found himself at an airport, slouched in an uncomfortable chair near his gate, exhausted after another long stretch of travel. He was scrolling through his phone, trying to think of something remotely interesting to post, when he heard a familiar voice.

"Oscar? You look like you've been hit by a truck," Max Verstappen said, walking over with Lando Norris trailing behind him.

Oscar looked up and managed a tired smile. "Nice to see you too, Max."

"What's up with you?" Max asked, dropping into the seat next to him. "You look like you need a holiday."

Lando sat on the other side, smirking. "He always looks like that. It's just his face."

Oscar chuckled softly, but then he sighed. "Zak wants me to be more active on social media. Says I need to build my brand or whatever."

Max raised an eyebrow. "You? Mr. Mysterious? Posting selfies and beach shots?"

"Exactly," Oscar muttered. "It's not me."

Max exchanged a glance with Lando, then grinned. "You know what you need? A change of scenery. Come to Monaco with us for a few days. Clear your head."

Oscar hesitated. "I don't want to intrude—"

"Nonsense," Max said. "You can crash at Lando's place. He's got more rooms than he knows what to do with."

"Hey, thanks for volunteering my flat," Lando said dryly. But he didn't protest further, and soon enough, Oscar found himself agreeing.

When they arrived in Monaco, Max came up with a wild idea.

"You know what would really get people talking?" Max said, leaning against the kitchen counter in Lando's flat. "A little mystery. Something to make the fans curious."

"What are you on about?" Oscar asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Fake relationship," Max said with a grin.

Lando nearly spat out his drink. "What?"

"Think about it," Max continued. "A few subtle posts. Nothing obvious. Just enough to make people wonder if you're dating someone—and if that someone might be Lando."

Oscar looked sceptical. "That's insane."

"And brilliant," Max countered. "Trust me, it'll work."

Lando groaned. "This is ridiculous." But as Max laid out the plan, even Lando had to admit it was clever.

They started small. A picture of Oscar holding two coffee cups, with Lando's unmistakable McLaren cap sitting on the table in the background. A blurry shot of two figures walking along the Monaco marina, one of them unmistakably Oscar, the other just out of focus.

The internet exploded. Fans analysed every pixel, debating whether Lando was the mystery man. Oscar's follower count skyrocketed.

Meanwhile, Lando and Oscar spent more time together than ever. At first, it was just part of the plan—staged outings, shared meals. But as the days went on, Lando found himself genuinely enjoying Oscar's company.

Oscar, for his part, started to open up. Lando learned about his childhood in Melbourne, his love of chess, and his wicked sense of humour. And then there was the flirting.

Oscar wasn't loud or obvious about it, but his subtle compliments and teasing remarks caught Lando off guard.

"You're not as annoying as I thought," Oscar said one evening, smirking over the rim of his glass.

Lando raised an eyebrow. "Is that your idea of a compliment?"

"Take it or leave it," Oscar replied, his tone light but his eyes sparkling.

One evening, after a long day of pretending to be something they weren't, Lando found himself watching Oscar as he sat on the balcony, gazing out at the Monaco skyline.

"You okay?" Lando asked, stepping outside.

Oscar looked up and smiled faintly. "Yeah. Just thinking."

"About?"

Oscar hesitated, then shrugged. "This whole thing. It's...weird, but it's working. People are actually paying attention to me now."

Lando sat down next to him. "You know, you're more interesting than you give yourself credit for."

Oscar laughed softly. "Thanks, I guess."

"I mean it," Lando said, his voice quiet. "You're smart, funny, and way cooler than I expected."

Oscar turned to him, his expression unreadable. "Careful, Norris. Keep talking like that, and people might think this fake relationship is real."

Lando's heart skipped a beat. "What if it wasn't fake?" he asked before he could stop himself.

Oscar blinked, surprised. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying...maybe Max's crazy idea wasn't so crazy after all."

From that moment on, things between them changed. The staged photos became less staged, the laughs more genuine, the touches more lingering. By the time they left Monaco, Lando and Oscar weren't pretending anymore.

Their relationship remained private for the most part, though they didn't hide it entirely. A candid shot of Lando and Oscar laughing on the balcony, posted without a caption, became one of Oscar's most-liked posts.

And when Zak Brown saw the surge in Oscar's popularity, he couldn't have been happier.

"Whatever you're doing, keep it up," Zak told Oscar with a grin.

Oscar just smiled. "Will do, boss."

Months later, during a press conference, a journalist asked Lando about the blurry coffee cup photo that had started it all.

"Was that your cap in the background?" the journalist asked.

Lando smirked. "What do you think?"

Oscar, sitting beside him, chuckled softly. "I think we'll let the fans decide."

Their secret wasn't a secret anymore, but it didn't matter. For Lando and Oscar, everything felt exactly as it should.