Redline | L.Norris

thirteen

The race day atmosphere was electric. Fans packed the stands, their cheers reverberating through the circuit. Isla took a deep breath, hands wrapped around the steering wheel as she sat in her car, heart pounding in sync with the revving engine.

As they sat waiting for the clock to strike at the top of the hour, Isla looked back to see Max threw her and thumbs up and Lando tap his helmet twice. A smile tugged at her lips at the slowly formed prerace ritual.

The formation lap went by in a blur, and before she knew it, she was lined up at the front of the grid. Her fingers twitched with anticipation as the lights went out one by one. The roar of the engines was deafening as she launched off the line, defending her position fiercely against Lando, who jumped a few positions into Turn 1.

The opening laps were clean, but relentless. Lando was keeping her honest, staying within a second, forcing her to push. Behind them, Oscar was holding steady in third while Max was making moves through the field, climbing the order with his usual aggression.

Then, on Lap 35, chaos erupted.

A battle between Max and Lewis turned disastrous as the two collided heading into a tight chicane. Max had attempted a bold move on the inside, and Lewis, not willing to yield, closed the door too late. The contact sent both cars spinning into the gravel. Yellow flags waved furiously as the marshals scrambled to clear the wreckage.

"Max and Lewis are out," her engineer confirmed over the radio. "Safety car deployed."

Isla exhaled sharply, gripping the wheel tighter. This was a pivotal moment. The restart would be crucial.

"Are they okay?" There was a brief pause after her question.

"Both are up and walking." She let out a deep breath, thankful they were both unharmed.

The safety car led the pack for several laps before finally peeling into the pits. Isla controlled the pace, weaving to keep her tires warm. As soon as she reached the final corner, she hit the throttle hard, catching Lando just slightly off guard.

"Good restart, Isla," her engineer encouraged.

The final stint was all about composure. Lando wasn't letting up, but Isla matched his every move. Each lap, each sector, she kept it clean, hitting her marks perfectly. The gap remained steady.

Three laps to go.

Two laps.

Final lap.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she rounded the last few corners, the Red Bull mechanics already on the pit wall, ready to celebrate. As she crossed the line, the checkered flag waving above her, reality hit.

"She's done it! Isla Räikkönen wins her first Formula 1 Grand Prix!"

A wave of emotion crashed over her as she let out a breathless laugh, gripping the steering wheel tightly. Her engineer's voice came through the radio, filled with excitement.

"Unbelievable! P1, Isla! You are a race winner in Formula 1!"

Tears pricked her eyes as she processed the moment. She had done it. She had won.

Isla drove around the track, waving to the fans who cheered her on. The few drivers that passed by offered up congratulatory gestures.

"That was bloody brilliant, Isla. Everyone at Red Bull is so proud of you." Christan's voice was heard over her radio.

"Thank you for taking a chance on me."

As she pulled into parc fermé, she was immediately engulfed by her team, cheers and pats on the back surrounding her. Lando was the first to come over, offering her a quick hug, "That was some drive. Congratulations, darling."