See You Again | Carlos Sainz & Charles Leclerc

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Authors Note: This story was requested by reader: San12A4117 

Included some of my favorite photo moments in each section ❤️ 
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✨We've come a long way from where we began...
Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again ✨ 

Ferrari hospitality was chaotic with the energy of a race day, but there was a a lingering feeling of bittersweetness

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Ferrari hospitality was chaotic with the energy of a race day, but there was a a lingering feeling of bittersweetness. It was the final race of the 2024 season and Carlos was preparing to suit up in Ferrari red for the last time. Next year, he'd be moving on, taking up a new challenge with Williams. While everyone on the team seemed excited for him, there was a sense of sadness among the crew.

Charles sat across from Carlos, fiddling with a helmet bag in his hands. His eyes darted up to his teammate and there was a moment of hesitation before he finally spoke.

"I, uh, I wanted to show you something," Charles said shyly. 

"Yeah mate? What's up?"

Charles pulled the helmet from the bag carefully, turning it so that Carlos could see. It glowed under the lights, the deep reds and whites of Ferrari, but with a unique touch. On the top, a painted chili pepper stood proudly, next to the words "Muchas Gracias" in script.

For a moment, Carlos didn't say anything. His eyes widened and he slowly reached out to take the helmet, his fingers brushing over the surface.

"Charles...I..." he began, his voice already trembling with emotion. He tried his best to blink back the tears threatening to spill. 

"I wanted to do something special," Charles interrupted, scratching the back of his neck. "You've been more than just a teammate. You've been a friend, someone I could always count on, even when things were...not great. And, well, you're Chili...il matador and all that, but you're also...family."

Carlos let out a soft laugh at the mention of his nickname, but the lump in his throat was evident. He turned the helmet slowly in his hands, his thumb tracing the outline of the chili.

"This is...incredible," Carlos said. "You really didn't have to do this, mate."

"Of course, I did," Charles replied firmly. "I wanted you to know how much you mean to me. To the team. To everyone. Ferrari won't ever be the same without you."

Carlos looked up, his eyes glossy. "You're trying to make me cry before a race, aren't you?"

Charles laughed. "If you cry, I won't let you live it down."

"Do you remember our first season together?" Carlos asked suddenly, looking over at Charles.

"How could I forget?" Charles said with a smirk. "You were the guy replacing Seb...the guy with the good hair. I was so nervous to meet you, but when we showed up dressed in basically the same outfit, I knew we'd get along just fine."

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