"Come on, Charles..." I mumble to myself with my ears cupped within large red headphones, most likely causing my curly hair to stick out haphazardly from under the band. I remain standing on my feet, anticipation coursing through my veins and trembling my hands
"How many laps left?" A static decorated voice speaks through, the roar of his engine almost drowning out his voice
"Five more," Xavier answers swiftly "Hamilton behind, one point seven"
"Copy" The team of fifteen seated behind screens of different contents focus intently, swiftly communicating to Xavier who is situated outside the garage with five other members seated behind even bigger screens that look even more complicated for me to comprehend. Xavier speaks in codes I don't understand, his body lingering behind the different screens in an attempt to understand the information thoroughly. He sieves through the information, picking appropriate information to relay to Charles. He doesn't respond to every call but I can vividly visualize Charles within his vehicle, body tightly slamming against its interior. His head completely concealed with his bright red Ferrari helmet except for two incredible blue eyes and the slope of his nose. Brows furrowed and eyes set in concentration with the world blurring into colours before him, Charles nodding silently at Xavier's words
"Three laps, Charles!" Xavier exclaims, able to feel the taste of victory closing in on the Ferrari team "Now two seconds ahead"
"He's got it" I smile hopeful, the influence of Xavier affecting her spirits. My eyes seem to reflect the immense speed of Ferrari's engine, Charles' car speeding through the screen with a dark grey car close behind. As the race nears a dramatic end, the drivers on the asphalt feel the pressure to overtake, to achieve a higher finish or even attempt to earn a spot on the podium. Bottas and Vettel are now in the battle for third with Vettel leading, their tires inching ever so close to each other as they turn against turn eighteen. Bottas overtakes Vettel at the end of the turn, nearly forcing Vettel off the track. However, Vettel refuses to go down without a fight and as the nineteenth turn closes in, he attempts to overtake from the inside, sliding right past Bottas as his tires fight against the asphalt
"Yes, Seb!" I exclaim, grabbing Pascale's arms for a brief moment then releasing my excitement through jolts. Pascale smiles widely, reciprocating the excitement through her aged eyes
Just as Vettel and Bottas took the opportunity to overtake, multiple battling drivers attempt to takeover each other. Few succeed, and most fail, unluckily Ricciardo touches wheels with Räikkönen causing Räikkönen to skid awkwardly across the cramped track and hitting the barrier. Gasps erupt among the small group of onlookers within the room, I immediately bring my hands up to my mouth. Ricciardo is able to recover, continuing the race two places ahead. The safety car rolls out immediately with furious waving yellow flags, Räikkönen stepping out of his battered Sauber with the help of the crew and visibly filled with fury, shaking his head and dropping his shoulders. Russel unluckily gets caught in the flurry, his vehicle slamming into Räikkönen's with no way out. Crew hurriedly help Russel out of his car too and into safety. The battered vehicles are placed onto the sidelines and away from the track.
Finally, as Charles and Hamilton have impatiently tailed the safety car, it turns away and off the track giving the impatient drivers the opportunity to accelerate to their full potential. Not before long the slow speed of the safety car is forgotten and the deafening engines roar once again
"Last lap, Charles!" Xavier exclaims, eyes glued to the driver's live locations "Hamilton. Point nine-second"
"I won't let him pass" Charles' loud voice comes distorted through the microphone. I hear his bold statement, observing as Charles' skills are put to the test, Hamilton only attempts to overtake at turns but Charles is able to defend with the help of Xavier and the crew furiously updating and relaying information to each other. Charles keeps Hamilton at bay by ensuring that there isn't from him to achieve a successful takeover. The battling duo nears the last of turns, Hamilton trying once again and able to line up against the Ferrari with the distance between their wheels making the crew bite at their nails.
Upcoming the next turn, Charles prepares himself for Hamilton as he attempts to pass. However, Charles has predicted it and edges his vehicle against the Mercedes quickly forcing the Mercedes to hit the brakes and turn back into Ferrari's tail. With Charles certain of victory, his foot floors the gas pedal with his hands hitting against his steering wheel. The wind hits him harder now, howling against his helmet and fuels the adrenaline in his veins. He frantically speaks with pure excitement
"Thank you so much," Charles breathes "I couldn't have done it without you" Just as his words are heard through my own ears, the red Ferrari zooms past the finishing line with a large checkered flag waving in a flurry. As if the world had slowed down around me, I let the people around me react, let Xavier raise a fist into the air, let Pascale raise her hands to her mouth in elation, let the eruption of celebratory shouts engulf my entire being before I finally reacts with short continuous jumps. Charles deafening shouts of celebratory elation distort his microphone and would kill my ears if the surroundings didn't match in volume
"You did it, Charles!" Xavier shouts through Charles' own shouts "You drove beautifully"
"You did it!" I lean over to Xavier, shouting into his mic
"Thank you, thank you for being here" Charles breathes into a smile, his breath heaving from his shouts. Xavier and his team takes their headsets off, prompting everyone else to do so. The large group adorning red ecstatically marches over to where the top three drivers park their vehicles.
As Charles slows his car in front of a large number one along with Sebastian in front of a number three, the crew around me cheers and throw their red-sleeved arms into the air. I stand pressed against the metal barrier with full sight of Charles slowly wriggling his way out of his vehicle's cramped interior. The bright red Ferrari reflects proudly in the sunlight overhead, daring to blind anyone who stares for too long. Charles stands fully upright, his full height extended due to his vehicle and cheers once again with a fist in the air before jumping down onto the asphalt with a thud and bolting towards the metal barricade. Charles races towards me, his hand lifting the bright red helmet off his hand as his other hand swiftly slides the white balaclava off his head.
His piercing eyes are no longer alone, the entirety of his features free from his helmet. His lips reveal a set of brightening white teeth, deep dimples etched into his wide smile. My eyes are able to catch sight of the helmet that had imprinted the skin around his sparkling eyes. I outstretch my arms out before my body, awaiting the distance between us to close in. Charles rolls his shoulders slightly before approaching me, his excitement visibly rolling off him as he slams into my embrace
"Home win!" I squeals, my cheek coming in contact with a head of sweat and stubble, the heat of the crew around me serves little help as the feeling of moisture sticks to my clothes. The crew squeezes my body from all angles in an attempt to reach Charles but I remain too ecstatic to care. I tighten my grip onto him, my hand balling up all that I can of his Ferrari adorned suit, Charles wraps his free arm around me and envelopes me with the thick fireproof suit. Over the deafening roar of the crew Charles shouts
"I'm so glad you could make it" His grip tightens as he leans into my embrace, I can feel the excited heaving breaths escaping his lips and fanning my neck. A quick peck manages to be planted onto my cheek
"Of cour-"
"Charles!" A feminine voice catches my attention causing me to loosen her grip onto Charles
"Charles!" The same shrill voices makes my head turn, arms slowly sliding off him. Instantaneously, a brute force shoves my body away from Charles' grasp and takes my place
"I'm so sorry I couldn't make it earlier" The mere sounds of her voice sinks my already aching heart. With the presence of paparazzi and the entirety of Ferrari's crew, I refuse to allow them to catch my dismay. Instead I smile, smile through Charles' arm around Charlotte, through his hand rubbing the small of her back and through my presence stolen by another woman.
I simply squeeze my way through the suffocating crowd to reunite with Charles' mother, accompanied with a sad smile.
YOU ARE READING
RED | Charles Leclerc
Fanfiction| "Red has always looked good on you, Charles" | How could Esa love red as much as she did before when the man who adorns red doesn't even belong to her.
