𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 ★ charles leclerc

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙮 𝙩𝙬𝙤, charles

❝ though it's hurting me, now it's history. ❞
⇄ ◃◃   ⅠⅠ   ▹▹ ↻

I sit in my Ferrari, gripping the wheel tightly, my heart pounding in sync with the engine's low rumble. Pole position.

I glance in my mirrors. Max is right behind me, waiting, ready to attack into Turn 1. Behind him, Ollie and Franco. Two Red Bulls. Two Ferraris. No Mercedes.

George had pole position, but received a 10 place grid penalty after changes were made to his car, and Maisie received a five place grid penalty for also changing something in the power unit, giving me the advantage of starting first.

"It's lights outside and away we go!"

I get a strong launch. Max reacts well, but I hold my line and shut the door cleanly into Turn 1. I see Maisie battling with Franco behind me, her Mercedes slotting into fourth. Three places up in one turn. Woah.

I focus ahead. Through the first few corners, I push, feeling the grip immediately. The car is balanced, responding exactly as I want. I've got the pace.

The first stint is about control. Max stays close, but I keep him out of DRS range, managing the tires carefully. Behind us, Ollie is fending off Maisie, who's already attacking.

I hear updates on the radio; she's fast, she's a threat to Ollie. I can't do anything about it. I need to focus on my race. I need to forget she exists.

In so many ways.

The laps tick by. Everything is under control, until Red Bull thinks first.

Max pits early, going for the undercut. It's a risk, but I can't afford to wait. I box the next lap. The team is flawless, mediums on, no delay. I rejoin, but Max is closer now. Too close.

Two laps later, his DRS is active. I know what's coming. Down the main straight, he flies past, braking deep into Turn 1. But I anticipated it. I cut back, get a better exit, and retake the lead into Turn 4. The crowd cheers.

Next lap, he tries again. Same move, same response. I let him go deep and switch back under him, reclaiming first place.

Third time. He's desperate now. This time, he brakes even later, locking up slightly. I don't even need to fight him, I just wait, get the better traction, and sweep past before he can react.

After that, he fades. I pull away, controlling the pace, managing the tires. The car is perfect.

But behind me there's even more.

Ollie pits again, rejoining just ahead of Maisie. I hear the radio update. Maisie P4, pushing hard. I know what that means. She's closing in. She's waiting for a mistake. But Ollie is holding on.

Then, with ten laps to go, chaos. A Red Bull has stopped. Virtual Safety Car. I breathe, keeping everything in check. Green flag. Five laps left.

Max is out.

I hear my engineer's voice: Franco is out too. Another Red Bull failure.

Maisie is suddenly in third. A Mercedes wasn't supposed to be here, but she's always there when it matters. On track, of course, off track, she's nowhere to be seen.

Final lap.

I take every corner smoothly, the engine roaring as I accelerate out of the final turn. The checkered flag waves. I cross the line. P1.

The radio explodes with cheers. I scream back, my voice cracking from emotion. I did it. Ferrari did it. And behind me Ollie makes it a 1-2.

Maisie finishes third, somehow pulling a podium from nowhere. And now we have to share a podium together, a cool down room together.