Despacito • Marcus Armstrong

Please, be safe

- It was a great weekend, don't you think? - Tita asked Marcus after the Sprint Race.

- I could've done so much better today - he seemed frustrated - I started P2 and lost the podium.

- I know it is not what you were hoping for, but a P7 and a P4 is still great Marcus, and it's 14 points! - she tried to make him feel better - I'm happy with the result!

- Well, Tita, I'm not - he said a bit exasperated - I should talk to you later, I'm really not in the mood.

- Alright, Marcus, goodbye! - she replied, still with a friendly tone.

She didn't understand why the driver was reacting that way. Of course he wanted more of the weekend, but it was his best one since the beginning of the season. Besides, he had never talked to her like that and she was worried but thought it was better for him to have some time, just like he had asked.

- How was Marcus feeling? - Tita's father asked her when she sat next to him on the couch

- Not great. He felt like he could've done better, but he still scored points.

- Alright, and now about F1, what are your predictions?

- I would say Hamilton, Checo and Verstappen. Charles will be in the points, but Vettel won't - she answered, and they kept on talking about until the race.

- It's lights out and away we go! - the race was starting

But, unfortunately, it didn't take much for it to stop. All they saw was a car, they didn't even understand who it was, going against a wall and an explosion.

- Mierda - Tita couldn't hold it back - Who's that?

A few minutes passed until it was known that it was Grosjean and it didn't take much time to see him in the medical car and then in the ambulance. Tita was in shock, she knew it was a dangerous sport, and she had seen some ugly crashes, but it didn't make it easier.
She picked up her phone, seeing that Marcus was calling her.

- Hey, look, I just want to say that I'm so sorry about the way I talked to you later - he started talking, but she interrupted him before he could finish.

- Marcus, please, be safe.

- You know it's part of... - he was saying something but changed his mind when looked at her and saw her concerned face - Of course, I will. You wanna talk about it?

- No, I'm still processing.

- He'll be fine, Tita, he's already in the hospital, and they are saying that it's nothing serious.

They kept talking until the race resumed, with Marcus trying to make her fel better. Later, when Stroll crashed, Marcus called her again; he understood it was important to her to see that he was safe after all, even if he wasn't even racing.

- How do you do it? - she asked him, after the race - Get in the car again after watching all of this.

- It's not easy, I admit it. But since we started karting, we were aware of the risks. Besides, the sport is safer than ever and that was one of Grosjean saviours today. I know it may be hard to understand for someone who is not inside of the car but believe it when I say that, not being easy, it is also what encourages us to race: racing for them.