Redline | L.Norris

twenty eight

The sun was dipping low over the circuit as Isla slipped away from the Red Bull motorhome, the noise and tension of the day still buzzing behind her. She found a low concrete wall near the back paddock gate, tucked away between hospitality units, and sat down with her phone in her lap.

She stared at the screen for a long time before dialing.

Three rings.

Then, "Hmm."

That was Kimi's version of "hello."

She exhaled a breath. "Hey."

"Hey," he repeated, tone unreadable. "How'd it go today?"

"Not great," she admitted. "Max and I... argued. Pretty publicly."

A pause. "You okay?"

She hesitated. "Yeah. Just... needed to ask something."

Kimi was silent, waiting.

"Turn seven," she said finally. "Am I pushing it too hard? Overdriving?"

Another pause. She could hear the faint background noise of his hotel room, Formula 2 coverage playing in the background, probably muted now.

"Is that what he said?" Kimi asked.

"More or less," she said, picking at the edge of her glove. "He thinks I'm overcompensating. Trying to make a statement. That I'm burning up the tires too early in the stint."

Kimi let out a soft snort. "And suddenly you care what Max Verstappen thinks?"

Isla didn't answer.

Kimi's voice lowered. "Why are you asking me, Isla?"

"Because... I don't know. I don't want to throw the race away by driving emotionally. If I'm making mistakes, I need to fix them."

Another long silence. Then Kimi said, "You've never asked me something like this before. Not since karting."

Her throat tightened. "Because I've never doubted myself this much before."

That hung between them, heavier than anything else.

Kimi exhaled slowly. "So, you're letting him get in your head."

"I don't want to be, but..." She pressed her fingers to her eyes. "Everyone's watching. Every lap I take, every move I make, it's not just about the race anymore. It's about proving I deserve to be here. And if I start slipping now, even a little..."

"You're afraid it'll all be taken from you," he finished.

"Yeah."

There was a long pause before he spoke again.

"You didn't get to this part of the season by accident, Isla. If anything, he's the one who's rattled. You've got him second-guessing everything and Max doesn't like being threatened."

Her voice was small. "So, I'm not overdriving?"

"If you were, you wouldn't be leading the championship," Kimi said bluntly. "You know how the car feels. If it's planted, trust it. Don't let Max take that from you."

A beat passed.

"You're not racing him. You're racing yourself. Like always."

Her eyes welled, but she didn't let anything fall. "Thanks, Dad."

Kimi's voice softened, barely. "Don't thank me. Just win the damn race."

She laughed, voice wet at the edges. "I'll try."