Thanks to Norris

part 50- practice

Friday – Practice Day, Spielberg
The air smelled like pine and fuel. Austria was showing off again: blue skies, roaring fans, and an energy that felt like fate was circling something.

Practice 1 – P1
Practice 2 – P1
You were on top.
Fast in every sector. Light on your tires. Focused.

Max right behind you.
Checo and Lewis? Not far off either.
But the fight shaping up... was clearly Red Bull vs Mercedes.

Your team was buzzing. Even your engineer — normally ice-cold — gave you a rare, wordless fist bump before debrief.

Post-FP2 — Mixed Zone Interview Area

Helmet off, still flushed from the final lap, you stepped into the pen for media.

Reporter:
"P1 in both sessions. You're looking very comfortable out there. Confidence heading into tomorrow?"

You (smiling):
"It's still early, but yeah. It's home. Everything just clicks here. Car, setup, headspace. We're not getting ahead of ourselves though—"

CRASH.
Suddenly someone bodied into your back, knocking you half a step forward mid-sentence.

Startled, you twisted around —
Max.
Helmet in hand. Huge grin. Absolutely no shame.

Max (deadpan to the reporter):
"Sorry. She's been too fast all day. Needed to knock her off balance somehow."

You blinked. Then burst out laughing.

You:
"You really crashed my interview?"

Max (grinning):
"Could've been worse. I was gonna bring a Red Bull can and offer you a contract."

The reporter nearly dropped his mic from trying not to laugh.

You (to camera):
"This is the kind of desperation you get when you're P2 at someone else's home race."

Max:
"Desperation looks great when it turns into a pole tomorrow."

You:
"Dream on, Verstappen."

He winked, tapped your shoulder, and walked off — whistling.

Social Media Went Wild:

Fan Clip:

🎥 "MAX CRASHES INTO Y/N MID-INTERVIEW 😭😭😭"
Caption: "when flirting and psychological warfare are the same thing 😩🔥"

Twitter Thread:

"y/n being p1 in both sessions
max literally interrupting her mid-interview like a gremlin
lewis watching from the background like a proud dad with popcorn
I LOVE THIS ERA"

Lewis's Story:
📸: A blurry zoom-in of Max walking away post-interview with your unimpressed face behind him.
Caption:

"Children. 😂"

In the garage that night, your team was all smiles.

Engineer (teasing):
"You want us to reinforce the interview pen tomorrow?"

You (grinning):
"No. Let him keep crashing. Just makes beating him on track more fun."

FP3 – Morning