Thanks to Norris

part 37- box box

Friday – Baku Circuit

You arrived at the track early, the air already thick with energy. The sun was shining, and the buzz of engines and chatter filled the paddock.

Leaning against the garage wall, you spotted Lewis nearby, stretching and reviewing his notes.

You: "Hey, Lewis. How's the track feeling today?"

Lewis (grinning): "Tight in a few spots, but overall, it's flowing well. Baku always keeps you on your toes."

You: "Yeah, that long straight means we can't slack on brakes or DRS zones."

You shared a quick nod, both mentally gearing up.

A little later, Pierre Gasly came by your garage.

Pierre: "Hey, looking sharp out there. Baku treats you well?"

You: "Thanks. Yeah, the track's tricky but fun. You ready for FP1?"

Pierre: "Always."

You wished each other luck before heading out for your first practice session.

FP1

The session went well — you felt confident, the car responsive, the tires holding up. By the end, you were sitting comfortably in 5th place.

During the break, you slipped on your headphones, letting music drown out the paddock noise. Your engineers gathered around the data screens.

You: "I think the front end was a little loose in turns 8 and 12. Could we adjust the front wing angle or maybe tweak the suspension for FP2?"

Your lead engineer nodded, pulling up the data.

Engineer: "Yeah, we saw a similar trend. We'll work on that and try a softer front wing setup after lunch."

FP2

Practice started smoothly. You pushed hard, feeling the car respond well. Midway through the session, you came in for a tire change.

But something went wrong.

The crew struggled to remove the right rear tire. Seconds ticked by, and you sat patiently, trying not to fidget.

Finally, the team admitted defeat — the wheel nut was stuck, and the pit stop dragged on too long.

You had to limp back into the garage and watch the rest of the session from there, disappointed.

Afterward, you gave a quick interview near the garage.

Reporter: "Tough break out there. What happened in the pits?"

You: "Just one of those things. The wheel nut wouldn't come off. It's frustrating, but we'll learn and fix it before tomorrow."

Just then, Norris appeared behind you, waiting for his turn.

You (without turning): "You had issues too, huh?"

Lando (smirking): "Nah, I actually had a good session. Just stopped early because I was tired. Car felt great."

You didn't smile. Instead, you stepped away, leaving him to start his own interview.

You shook your head slightly, focusing back on your own work.

Tomorrow would be a new day. You knew that much for sure.

Saturday – FP3, Baku

The sun beat down over the street circuit as you wrapped up a strong final practice. You'd pushed hard, trusted the car, and it paid off — you finished the session with a solid P2 on the timesheets.