My Brother's Teammate | Lando Norris

Checkered Flag

——— AUTHOR'S NOTE ———

This is the final chapter guys!

Already feeling all the feels about this book ending, but I hope you enjoy this one xx

———🏎️———

The roar of the engines vibrated through the garage as Alexis adjusted the headset over her ears. The familiar hum of the team's comms system buzzed softly in the background, but her attention was divided. She stood next to Lily, her fingers unconsciously playing with the ring on her hand - the one with the 'L' initial etched into it.

Her eyes flickered up to the monitors, tracking the formation lap as the cars warmed up their tyres around the track. The McLaren team had done something remarkable yesterday - with Lando in pole position for the second time in his career and Oscar securing P3, continuing his impressive first season in Formula 1.

The nerves that had been building up all morning now bubbled to the surface, gnawing at her stomach. This could be it. A double podium. It wasn't just a dream; it was within reach. If everything went right, if both Lando and Oscar kept their heads and the race unfolded as it should, the two papaya cars might just finish side by side on the podium.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Lily's voice; soft but urgent. "Lex, breathe. It's going to be fine."

Alexis glanced at her, offering a tight smile, her nerves making it hard to focus. Lily had been the calm in their chaos all season. In contrast to Alexis' swirling thoughts, Lily always seemed steady, like the eye of a storm. It wasn't just their mutual support for Oscar that made Lily so invaluable - it was the genuine connection they shared, a bond of friendship that had only strengthened through the madness of this life.

Alexis breathed out, her eyes flicking back to the screen. Lando's car looked sleek, its orange and black livery gleaming on the track. He was so close to making history. The emotions of the past few months, their whirlwind relationship - everything felt like it was leading up to this moment.

She could still remember their first meeting, how Lando had appeared so unassuming, helping her assemble her bedroom furniture. Back then, their relationship had been so secretive, their moments stolen in between races; hiding from the media and the people closest to them.

Then came the Spanish Grand Prix. The kiss. The declaration. The overwhelming joy that Lando had finally claimed his first podium of the season and had done so with her by his side.

But that joy had been short-lived. The crash in Austria, the concussion, and the weeks of heartbreak that followed. Alexis had feared that it was over before it had even really begun. But their rekindling in Santorini, surrounded by friends, had given her hope again. Lando's laugh, his quiet words of reassurance - it had felt like a fresh start. Like they could truly have something, despite the chaos that F1 brought into their lives.

Alexis then thought of Oscar. She closed her eyes for a moment, allowing herself to drift back to those crucial moments with him, too - his debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix, the excitement, the nervous energy that had been palpable. And then the high of his first-ever podium at Silverstone, and the crushing low of his crash in Miami. The shock of it had nearly undone her. She'd sat with him for hours afterward, making sure he was okay, always trying to hide her own panic behind a mask of strength. But she was proud. Proud of how he'd bounced back after every setback. Proud of how far he'd come. He was growing up, fast - both as a driver and as a person.

As the formation lap continued, Alexis' mind wandered through the months that had flown by. She thought of her friends - Heidi, Carmen, Lily, Pietra, Daniel, George, Alex, Max - and how lucky she was to have found her tribe in the midst of the madness. The constant travel, the unrelenting pressure of F1 - it would have been impossible without them. Each of them brought something different to the table, but together, they made this world bearable.