#me when I really thought that this season was going to have a championship battle

[schumipng]

Michael Schumacher deep in thought. Monaco Grand Prix, no date Photo by Jean-Yves Ruszniewski/TempSport/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

#me when I really thought that this season was going to have a championship battle #formula 1 #f1 #old f1 #classic f1 #benetton #micheal schumacher #msc-benetton #monaco grand prix

[moviecritc]

Hi! Could you do a driver!reader who is dating Max and is in ferrari and the whole Carlos thing is happening to her so in Australia she ignores team orders and goes to win the race. Charles is mad at her and in the post race interview when asked about it she is just like "Happy multi 21 day everyone" and like Max is so fucking proud his gf is in her reputation era 💅💅💅

on the edge ⋆ max verstappen

pairing: max verstappen x driver!reader

word count: 1.7K

warnings: charles leclerc being himself (a bitch)

a/n: this is my first request it makes me very very happy!! thanks anon for your request, i hope you like this. i love max with all my heart and i love writing about him aswell.

just wanted to tell you guys that for the requests you can ask for reader and oc, even though when it's not a request it'll probably be an oc bc i love to give names to my characters <3

masterlist | wattpad | letterboxd

Y/N didn't have a seat for the upcoming Formula 1 season, and that stressed her out quite a bit. She and Charles had been teammates for three years, and she really thought Ferrari would keep her on the team, but upon learning that Lewis Hamilton was leaving Mercedes, they were the first to snatch him up and turn their backs on her.

Now she had two options: give up, pray to sign with Williams or Haas, or outperform herself this season and force her way into one of the top five teams. And for now, she had chosen the second option. P3 in the first race and in the top five in the second. She was extremely motivated for Australia.

Y/N loved the view of the fireworks from the podium, the champagne, and, above all, celebrating with Max Verstappen. Because let's not lie, it was obvious that Max would be on most of the podiums.

They kept their relationship out of the media. Being coworkers, neither of them wanted their relationship to hinder their success in Formula 1, but that didn't mean they didn't support each other every time the other achieved something.

Max had been with her throughout her Formula 1 career. They were the same age, but when Max debuted in the competition, she was still in Formula 2, battling against Albon and Russell for the title. A year before his debut, Y/N got a spot at Alpha Tauri as a reserve driver. It was in that year that Max and she started a relationship, at first quite casual and sporadic until they realized they were too obsessed with each other not to formalize it. And four years later, they were still together, sharing an attic in Monaco and competing together for the championship.

"It's going to be great for both of us, I'm sure," Y/N nodded. Before each race, they had a kind of ritual where they wished each other good luck, hugged, and kissed.

"I see a Y/Nstappen 1-2," Max assured before giving her a long kiss, resting his arms on his girlfriend's waist.

"I hope so,"

"Oh, come on. You're starting fourth, it'll be bad if you don't get on the podium," Max said. He knew her situation in Formula 1 was tense and did everything he could to make her feel good and positive. Max loved racing with her, and if she ended up off the grid next season, he would probably suffer from seasonal depression.

They kissed once more and were about to hug when someone knocked on Max's door to get them to the drivers' parade. They couldn't complete their little ritual, but neither of them gave it too much importance.

They went out to the parade where she was asked about her future in Formula 1, as they had been doing since the season started. That also annoyed her, would it always be like this from now on? Would everything be oriented towards whether she was unemployed or not? She answered with the best smile she could and ended the interview as quickly as possible.

She returned to Max, who was leaning on the fence of the truck they were being taken in for the parade. She leaned on the railing, holding it with her hands. Then Max discreetly placed his hand on hers, making her smile at the contact. Max wasn't very fond of physical contact, but if he could manage to brush against her shoulder, he would, maintaining professionalism wasn't as easy as it seemed.

"How's it going, mates?" Surprisingly, Leclerc approached them to start a conversation, first fist bumping with Max and then with Y/N, pressing his lips a little.

Their relationship as teammates was quite complicated at the moment. She was killing it in the few races that had passed, while Charles was just doing okay. Plus, although when Y/N joined the team, Charles and she had gotten along very well, that year they had been growing apart for obvious reasons.

They talked for a while about the race and expectations, especially Max and Charles, while Y/N disconnected from the situation a bit. Sometimes she was surprised that Charles and Max got along so well.

"Good luck today, Y/N," Charles said before leaving with Gasly.

Y/N blinked and looked at Max, puzzled. "What did he mean by that?"

"What do you mean?" Max frowned a little.

"He wished me luck, as if he thought I needed it," she insisted, biting her cheek.

"Everyone needs some luck, Y/N," Max said, knowing how nervous she could get when something didn't fit in her head.

"He didn't say anything to you," Y/N argued, crossing her arms.

"I mean…" Max tilted his head a little, eliciting a little smile from Y/N. "Don't dwell on it too much, you'll do great."

She loved that, how Max was able to lift her spirits in any situation, getting a little smile out of her. She loved him for that.

The parade ended, and they each went to their garage, fist bumping as a farewell because anything else would cause a stir in the media. In the Ferrari garage, her engineer commented on the strategies that focused on supporting and defending Charles even if he started two positions below her.

She gave Charles a short glance before going to the cars and taking their respective positions. It’s light and away we go. Y/N was so focused on passing Lando Norris that she didn't realize her boyfriend was no longer in first place, actually, he wasn't there anymore. She asked the engineers what had happened; Max had had some problems with the brakes and had retired from the race. "Don't fuck with me," she said, not fully believing it. "Is Max okay?"

"We don't know, focus on the race," her engineer emphasized.

"When you know, tell me, please," Y/N added, without receiving a response. There had been no accident, no red flag, so he was probably fine. But if there was smoke and sparks, there was always a chance that something had happened to him in the pits.

Y/N took a couple of breaths and refocused on the race. She looked on the bright side; she was third and had a chance to win. A few laps later, she managed to overtake Lando Norris. She pitted, and in the last third of the race, she was in first place. Behind her was Charles, so she thought they would change the strategy, and he would be the one defending the position.

"Y/N, let Charles pass," her engineer said, taking her by surprise.

"What?" Y/N practically shouted. "But I'm in first,"

"They're team orders, let him pass,"

"He's slow! He's over half a second behind me, letting him pass will make me slow down!" She couldn't believe this was happening.

"Y/N."

"If he can overtake me, let him, but I'm not letting him pass. I'm winning this fucking race."

And so it was. Y/N crossed the finish line first, and when she got out of the car, Max was there to greet her with a hug. He tried to make her not notice that there were hardly any people from her team there, but Y/N realized it, and her gaze darkened a little. Still, Charles came second, and when he parked his car, several Ferrari mechanics went to congratulate him.

Max watched Y/N, worried that she would take it badly. But then he saw her exchange a triumphant

look with Charles, who, upon seeing her, turned serious. And if that wasn't enough, she blew a kiss to Charles and then went with Max, who put an arm around her shoulders.

"That was incredible," Max said.

"The race or Charles's face?" she questioned, with an ironic smile.

"Both. I thought you'd be sad because there was no one to greet you,"

"You were there,"

"From your team, I mean," Max explained.

"You and I are a team, Maxie. Have you never thought about that?" She looked at him with a smile. "You're right, we are,"

"Are you okay?" Y/N asked. "I got quite worried when you DNF’d."

"I'm okay, no serious damage,"

"And emotionally?"

"I'm fine. Proud of you, above all," Max nodded. "Now go celebrate your podium, I'll be watching you from below,"

They gave each other a brief kiss on the cheek, not caring too much about the cameras; she had just won the race, she deserved at least a kiss from her boyfriend. She received her prize with a smile and celebrated the podium with Charles and Lando, more with Lando than with Charles. The McLaren driver had congratulated her countless times that day, but Charles barely spoke to her.

"Are you okay, mate?" Y/N asked, knowing what was coming.

"You didn't follow team orders," Charles said directly.

"Oh, right. That," she shrugged, raising her eyebrows. "You came second, Charles. It's not that bad,"

"Damn, but if they tell you to let me pass, you let me pass. What does it matter to you?" he raised his voice a little.

"What does it matter to you? You have your golden seat at Ferrari. Some of us have to work really hard to have a seat, crazy, right?" Y/N rolled her eyes with a smile and turned around, leaving Charles with a word on his lips.

Y/N reached the interview area, where Lando and Oscar were doing their respective interviews.

"Y/N! You won the race by disobeying team orders, does it feel the same as winning a race fair and square?" a man asked.

"Fair and square? I was fast enough to cross the line first, the rest weren't. I think that's how a race is supposed to be won," she argued. She smiled widely; she saw Max was also around, waiting for his turn for interviews.

"Don't you have any remorse?" he questioned.

"Not one,"

She ended the interview after that; she didn't feel like explaining. As she turned around, she found Max with an almost mischievous smile. They fist bumped, and he went to do the interview. "Max, can we ask you about the win of your girlfriend?"

"About Y/N,"

"Yes, about Y/N," he nodded.

"I'm extremely proud of her, it's her second victory, and even though I had to retire, I'm glad she won this race,"

"Even given the circumstances of the victory?" the reporter questioned.

"With the circumstances of the victory," Max assured with a broad smile.

#max verstappen #max verstappen x reader #max verstappen x you #max verstappen fanfic #max verstappen fluff #max verstappen imagine #australian gp 2024 #charles leclerc #mv1 #mv1 x reader #mv1 fic #mv1 x you #mv33 #mv33 x reader #mv33 imagine #mv33 fic #mv33 x you #max verstappen one shot #noraverse 🫧

[batsplat]

hello i saw in your tags that you don't think people on here get casey stoner and as someone relatively new into the sport i would love to hear your thoughts <3

(context here) okay first of all, this post will be framed as ‘things I wish people talked about more with regards to casey stoner’, rather than arguing against what I think people think

I've tried to come up with a concise response to this ask but kept heading into thesis-length territory. so I decided to write a bullet point list and it’s still… yeah… but well it could be worse. if you, dear anon, wish to read thousands of words of casey stoner lore then please let me know. otherwise, here are just a few things I find interesting about this bloke:

casey has a very complex relationship with the concept of confidence, both in other riders and himself, in the sense that he KNOWS how important it is but also believes/wishes that he specifically is kinda above all that

this feeds into how he wishes that racing were Just Racing and not all this other stuff… not his brain not his body not other racers being assholes on/off track not talking to journalists or doing photoshoots not having to deal with politics etc etc - central underlying tension of his career

he has openly spoken about not ever really enjoying race day, saying the only thing he's missed after retiring is qualifying. very perfectionist, the anxiety, the over-thinking, craving control… all key casey traits

(which also ties in with the valentino rivalry, because valentino obviously adores racing (in particular wheel-to-wheel battle) but he’s also great at all that other off-track stuff)

some very rigid ideas of How The Sport Should Look, which you can see in everything from how he talks about racing standards to the introduction of CRT riders (he had it OUT for them, head hot every time aleix espargaro shows up in parc fermé) to valentino’s influence on ducati and the importance of the colour red

let him have his mean streak! the grim satisfaction in discussing jorge’s 2008 injuries after his early-season arrogance towards casey, the dismissiveness towards dani, some of the wilder valentino remarks (this isn’t a criticism to be clear, alien-on-alien violence is part of the natural order of things)

casey is a classic case of ‘just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean they aren’t after you’. definitely a suspicious guy and perpetual underdog 'me against the world' mindset. not to get too psychoanalytic-y, but I reckon this was partly born out of how he had to leave australia as a teenager (with his family completely dependent on him succeeding) because of how the racing establishment down under fucked him over

they definitely were out to get him a lot of the time, cf yamaha and then ducati drama plus the slander from some of the greats of the sport, fellow riders, the media etc etc (particularly egregious in 2009 when he was dealing with his mystery illness and a lot of people said some pretty unpleasant stuff in his absence - here is just one example)

his struggles were constantly downplayed. the chronic fatigue misdiagnosed as lactose intolerance led to people calling him weak-minded, broken, running away from the sport (part of why he was so allergic to the idea his results might in any way be connected to what was going on in his head). add in the undiagnosed anxiety and you have all this invisible strife people wouldn't even take seriously

that being said, he definitely did have a propensity for jumping to the worst possible conclusions

two specific examples: firstly from his autobiography, where he makes the claim that valentino may have been sabotaged in the 2006 title decider and was deliberately given a rubbish tyre to make him lose the championship - to which casey’s response was: “welcome to my world, mate”. he does have a tendency to believe he’s being sabotaged, and is constantly on the look out for conspiracies even when they are… unlikely

the other example is mat oxley talking about his issues with casey in his stint working for ducati, partly based on a misunderstanding:

something allegedly written about him in 2001!

let’s just say he can definitely hold a grudge

the moaner stoner stuff was definitely nasty, calling him mopey and whiny and all of that, but he also has never shied away from some good old-fashioned complaining (some of this was a bit of a spiral - complaining for good reason worsening public perception of him leading to more reasons to complain)

see also the lingering marc grudge, who probably did play a significant part in getting casey kicked out of honda (as casey has accused him of). whether marquez prevented stoner from racing in 2015 is more of an open question. casey still speaks about how honda made a mistake by only listening to marc (which, again, does have some truth to it)

casey was always very quick to shut down the idea that momentum, motivation, confidence etc could affect his results (unlike that of his competitors) because he argues he was always very rational & clear-sighted about when things were his fault & when things could be blamed on the bike + extraneous factors. he really goes into detail about this when discussing 2008 laguna seca in his autobiography, which he argues had no effect on him psychologically (but was followed by him crashing out of the lead of the next two races)

has definitely spoken more about his rivalry with valentino than valentino has, which probably has also helped shape perception of it over time

on ‘ambition outweighed talent’ - I feel like people almost understate just what a (hilariously) out of pocket remark it was in context. it was rossi’s second ever race at ducati (and the start of his season was impacted by his shoulder issues) - and the rain meant he had a ~win it or bin it~ approach because he knew it was as good a chance as he might get for some time (despite starting from 12th). the move on stoner for second place was at best optimistic, most definitely impatient and at worst foolish - but sort of understandable in that situation, rossi was definitely rapid, and this stuff can happen in the wet. in that sense, it was obviously more a reaction to the manner of the apology (and his frustration with the stewards) than to what casey himself described as a racing incident

stoner made a remark in his autobiography about how rossi had stolen 25 points in a title battle he was never going to be a part of (oof). whether you're obligated to race title contenders differently is already a bit sketch but certainly should not be a consideration for anybody in round TWO

he was forced to publicly retract the remarks, though he doubled down on them to a deeply funny extent in his autobiography by suggesting they were true of valentino’s entire career and that he’d just benefited from a weak era. rossi mostly took it on the chin especially when interviewed about it for documentaries, probably because with something like that you do just need to take the L

it's understandable how it’s become such a defining image of their rivalry (along with laguna seca), not least because of how evocative the whole thing is - rossi showing up still wearing his helmet, trying to make a PR apology stick while he’s been eating nauseating amounts of humble pie at ducati; stoner casual as you like, pissed off about the points loss while still indulging in schadenfreude about how the Great Big Ducati Adventure is working out for rossi

but again, I think it’s funnier because of just HOW over the top an insult it was in that situation (and more broadly how it does have a different vibe to their interactions when they were meaningfully competing, aka 2007-2008)

in conclusion: casey has his doubts and his insecurities and his obsessions and his foibles… a complicated guy in his own right

and a big thing I’d like to stress here is that the rivalry with valentino does benefit from treating them both as somewhat unreliable narrators

I just think he's neat

#ty for giving me an excuse to be annoying at length about one of my number one guys!! #casey stoner #valentino rossi #motogp #// #cs27 #vr46 #lotsss of other stuff you can go into here. he gets a bit sanitised sometimes I feel which is kinda a shame #u can be justifiably resentful and still be very resentful. spite is still spiteful when it's deserved. same with the misanthropic streak #being called weak-minded really got to him imo - and the thing is he's clearly not (& good lord did some big names say some nasty things) #the autobiography feels almost an overcorrection and then you've got him recently talking more openly about his mental health #(even if not specifically about how it affected him competitively - which is obviously a related but not identical conversation) #it's an uplifting development in a way and it's nice seeing how much more comfortable in his skin he seems these days #but he is also a little bitch :)

[elisysd]

Place in me - Luke Hemmings

Masterlist - Previously - Next Chapter

Call me in the morning, yeah I'm sorry that I let you down, I I'm so apathetic, it's pathetic But I need you now, now

Charles approached the Japanese Grand Prix with confidence, but with a certain anxiety. Confident because he was just back from a race where he had won. Apprehensive because of the memories linked to this track. Memories that he preferred to repress far, far away in his memory. But it was as if fate had decided that it wasn't going to leave him in peace. Conditions on Sunday were far from ideal. The track was soaked and Charles shared his concerns with Fred, who admitted that he wasn't at ease either. But despite the FIA's reluctance and the rain, which showed no sign of stopping, the race went ahead.

Getting up at seven o'clock on a Sunday morning was not what Lyanna had in mind when she thought about her weekend. But she had promised Charles that she would watch all his races, from free practices to the finish line. In addition, he was starting from P3, a position he didn't particularly like, but nonetheless he was in front and that made Lyanna happy. She had no doubt that he would be able to hold his position. But the rain and the commentators on television didn't reassure her. She couldn't wait for the race to finish. Firstly because she knew that Charles didn't really like Suzuka and secondly because it meant that he was coming home, something that Lyanna felt had not happened for far too long. She couldn't wait to see him walk through the doors of the flat and she had promised herself that as soon as he arrived, she wouldn't let him out of her sight. Besides, he was coming home just in time for her birthday and she couldn't wait to spend it in bed with him. Nothing but Charles and the few phone calls she felt compelled to take.

The race finally started and Charles quickly overtook Checo to follow in Max's trail. The rain was pouring down and Lyanna couldn't imagine what Charles could see, or rather not see, and feel. If she closed her eyes, it would make her want to throw up. With her eyes glued to the screen, she could see Charles battling with Max for P1 and even before the impact, she knew. She knew that neither of them would win the duel. And it was Charles who made the mistake in trying to overtake Max. The Ferrari's rear wheels locked, forcing him to adjust his trajectory and collide with Max. Both spun and hit the barrier.

Lyanna gasped, events of last year replaying in her head. But it wasn't long before she saw Max and Charles get out of the car, unharmed. She exhaled. They were fine.

She was the first person Charles called when he got back to the hotel. He was exhausted and angry, and unfortunately for Lyanna she soon realised that it was going to be up to her to find the words to comfort the Monegasque driver.

“You don’t understand Lyanna! It’s my fault. 100%. And I can’t afford to make stupid mistakes like this! Not now that I have a real chance at the championship, I can’t fuck it up.”

“You’re too hard with yourself… The track was completely wet because of the rain it could have happened to anyone, to Lewis or even Max. You’re a human Charles, not a robot.”

“It was a rookie mistake, Lyanna. I know better than that.” He said harshly.

“I’m just glad you are okay…” she whispered.

“You know what we always say, right? You know what I always promise you. You know that.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Repeat it, then.”

“Be fast, come back to me, I love you.”

“And I’m always fast, I always come back to you and I’ll always love you. Enough about me. Tell me about you, I feel like it’s been so log since we actually got a proper talk.”

“That’s because every time we’re on FaceTime your mind is always elsewhere but never on me.”

“I’m sorry about that. It’s just… this start of the season is already a lot…”

“I know. That’s why I don’t want to add to your problems or your stress.”

“You know you’ll never. So, how’s the shoot.”

“I’ve known better if I’m being honest. Don’t get me wrong, I love the movie and I trust Michael’s vision and you should see Adam Driver on set, he is magistral, but anyway. It’s a lot of pressure, a lot of work and it’s a range of emotions to portray that I’ve never done before. It’s exhausting. Fulfilling because I feel like I learn so much about myself, but hard and stressful. I can’t wait for you to get home… I... I just need you and your arms and your kisses… You. Only you.”

“And I’ll be all yours as soon as I stepped out of that plane, I promise you. Do you want to do something in particular for your birthday?”

“I want to do you. That’s it.” She jokingly said.

Charles was far from against the idea and if he was honest, it was something he was looking forward to. But he also knew how much his girlfriend loved her family and the place they occupied in her life. He wanted her to have a birthday to remember. And he wanted to be the person to give her that. His ego would feel flattered. After hanging up with Lyanna, he searched his contacts for Renée's phone number, which she had given him in case of emergency.

“Charles? You are the last person I expected a call from.” Lyanna’s mom greeted him after she picked up.

“Renée, hello. I hope you’re alright and I’m not bothering.”

“No, you don’t. Is everything okay with Lyanna? I’m assuming she is the reason why you call.”

“Yes, kind of… I wanted to ask you something.”

“If you are asking me for the permission to marry her, it’s a no. You still have to prove that you deserve her, young man.”

Charles was taken aback by the way she said it.

“Hum... well. I was not calling for that but it’s good to know… I guess? Hypothetically, if I wanted to ask you for permission, what should I do?”

“Don’t ignore her for starter. She told me what happened after your win in Bahrain. It didn’t make me happy to hear that, Charles. You promised me you would take care of her; I’m not asking you to be perfect, everyone is human and bound to make mistakes but… don’t play with her and her feelings. She went through enough.”

“I’ve already apologised to her, I kind of groveled if it can help. But anyway, it was not the reason of my call. I want to organize her a surprise birthday party and I was thinking of making you all fly out to Monaco to see her. It would make her so happy. And… I was also thinking that you all could meet my family since I wanted to invite them as well. Lyanna is close to them and I know my mom would be delighted to help to organize. She loves Lyanna.”

“Well… it’s very nice of you…”

“You don’t have to do anything. I can arrange a private jet and the hotel. You would just have to show up to the airport. Say yes, please. For Lya.”

Charles couldn't help jumping in joy and punching his fist in the air when Renée told him that she agreed and that she would take care of planning with the rest of the family. As soon as he had finished with his mother-in-law, he hurried off to phone his mother and explain his plans. Pascale was delighted and assured him that everything would be fine and that she would take care of everything. All he had to do was keep his mouth shut and not reveal anything to the actress. So it was with great excitement that Charles set off the next day for Italy to meet up with his beloved.

Lyanna wasn't there when Charles arrived from the airport. He hadn't said exactly when he was coming back, wanting to surprise the young woman. On the way, he stopped at a florist and bought her a huge bouquet of red roses. He knew it wasn't original, but he didn't care. He took the time to put his things away and take a long hot shower before changing into comfortable clothes. He plugged his phone into the stereo in the living room before choosing an acoustic playlist to play in the background. When that was done, he settled into the sofa and closed his eyes, savouring the fact that he was home. Soon he heard a key turn in the lock and he sat up, ready to welcome Lyanna and shower her with kisses.

He had expected her magnificent smile to light up as soon as she saw him, but what he saw destabilised him. She was crying. And not just a little. Her glossy eyes found Charles and she burst into even more tears, if that were possible, before rushing into his arms and soaking his shirt.

“Love… Lya… Oh my god babe. Hey, talk to me.”

“I want to give up. I can’t go back there. I want to give up Charles” she was like a broken record repeating the same sentences again and again.

“Babe, come here. Sit down. Tell me what happened.”

She pressed herself against Charles and wrapped her arms around his torso before burying her neck in his shoulder.

“I fucked up. We were supposed to shoot a scene and… and it was a hard one. It was about abuse. And…I freaked out. Something in me froze. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t speak, I got flashbacks from…” she shook her had as if she was trying to erase the memory. “And then everyone was staring at me, Michael wanted me to redo the whole scene from the top but I couldn’t Charles. I couldn’t. I ran away. I said that I couldn’t do it anymore and I left. They are going to be so mad. So mad. But I couldn’t stay there, I felt like I was drowning and I couldn’t breathe. It scared me.” She was rambling and Charles hugged her even tighter, kissing her forehead.

“It’s okay. You’re safe. I’m here, Lya, I’m here…”

“I’m so thankful you’re here. I thought you were coming back later and I would be alone and I don’t know what I would’ve done.”

He let her cry against him until she finally fell asleep, exhausted. He carried her to their bedroom and laid her on their bed. She tossed and turned, seeking the warmth of Charles' body. He joined her shortly afterwards and, naturally, she found herself back in his arms.

When Charles woke up a little later, it was still dark. The jet lag was beginning to wear on him, even though he was usually rather proud of the way he handled it. Lyanna hadn't moved an inch; she was still snuggled comfortably in his arms, her legs intertwined with his. Instinctively, he pulled her even closer to him and placed his lips on the top of her head. He didn't want to move, he felt good, peaceful. But a pang of worry pierced his heart. He couldn't help wondering how the young woman would be when she woke up.

With a gesture, he grabbed his phone from the bedside table and looked at the time.  Barely five in the morning. He knew that he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep and that he risked waking Lyanna at any moment, who needed sleep so badly. He got up carefully and put on his workout clothes. His building had a gym, which was handy for him. He grabbed his airpods and left the room, then the flat, without a sound.

He returned an hour later, but not before stopping off at a café to pick up a takeaway breakfast for Lyanna and himself. He could hear the water running in the bathroom, which told him that Lyanna was awake, which was reassuring. He set the table, taking care to display the bouquet he'd bought the day before, which he hadn't had the chance to offer properly. Soon, the young woman's silhouette appeared in the doorway and it was a weary smile that Charles received when she saw him.

“How do you feel?” he asked her as he took her in his arms and gave her a light peck on the lips.

“Like shit. I’m supposed to be on the set in two hours… I don’t want to go…” she smiled gently at him as she saw the flowers on the table and inhaled the scent.

“Is there something I can do to help?”

“Actually… do you want to come with me today?”

Charles was used to cameras, but he had to admit that a film set was a very different environment from what he knew on a day-to-day basis. Lyanna didn't have to worry about a thing; as soon as she arrived, the director rushed over to her and asked if she was alright. Lyanna briefly explained how she had felt, without going into detail, and apologised profusely, which Michael Mann brushed aside with a wave of his hand.

Charles had spent many hours sitting in a corner in silence, admiring Lyanna as she worked. Seeing her in her element, confident and in control of every detail, giving her opinion, chatting and laughing with the other cast members, made him fall a little more in love with her. As soon as she could, she checked on Charles and made sure to introduce him to everyone, so that by lunchtime everyone knew Charles' name and knew that he was Lyanna's boyfriend.

Lyanna was free by mid-afternoon and wasn't needed on set until the end of the week, which was perfect for Charles as it would allow them to get back to Monaco where Lyanna's birthday was being held. Pascale had booked the same room where Charles had celebrated his birthday a few months earlier, and the orchestra and caterer had also been rebooked. Lyanna's family and friends were due to arrive the day before and Joris, Arthur and Lorenzo had been asked to drive everyone to the hotel. This way, Charles could take full advantage of his girlfriend without her suspecting anything.

On the morning of his birthday, Lyanna was the first to wake up and it was she who woke Charles up by placing light kisses on his stubble, his neck and then down his chest.

“Hey, you.” whispered Charles in a sleepy voice.

“Good morning, babe.” Lyanna replied with a twinkle in her eye.

“You’re in a good mood this morning.”

“Indeed. Do you know why?”

“I have an idea but please enlighten me.”

“It’s my birthday and you’re home and that means I have you to myself and let me tell you that I’m going to enjoy every second of it.”

“Oh yeah? And what did you plan?”

“Oh so, so many things that don’t require for us to leave this bed.”

And true to her word, they stayed in bed all day. Lyanna ignored the messages and calls she received on her birthday, her family playing along with the idea that they were far away, when in reality they were only a few streets away from Charles's flat.

At the end of the day, and not without some difficulty, Charles managed to persuade Lyanna to get out of bed and go celebrate her birthday somewhere quiet and out of sight, just the two of them. He hated having to lie to her, but he hoped her reaction would be worth it. Lyanna pouted, unenthusiastic about the idea of going out.

“Lya, I made reservations and I really can’t cancel…”

“But I didn’t want to go out… I just want to be with you.”

“You got me all to yourself the whole day. You barely let me out of the bed to eat.”

“I didn’t hear you complain though…”

“Oh believe me, I’m not. It’s just that I want to spoil my girlfriend for her birthday and I want to please her because she deserves it. So let’s go out.”

“I must say that you did a really good job pleasing me the whole day and you can keep doing it without us having to leave the flat. It’s very convenient, it doesn’t require you to move and it’s completely free. No need to spend a penny on me. See, I’m really low maintenance.”

“I’m going to drag you out of here if I need to.”

“Can’t you just tell them that we will be going tomorrow?”

“We both need some fresh air. It will do us good.”

She continued to complain, but realising that Charles would not give in, she headed for the bathroom.

“I’m letting the door open, if you want to join me.”

“Lya, we can’t afford to be late and we both know that if I’m stepping even just a toe in this bathroom we will be very, very late.”

“You’re loss Leclerc, then.”

Charles shook his head and slipped out of the room, not wanting to be tempted more than necessary. He checked his messages nervously, his mother keeping him regularly informed of the evening's progress. He decided to call her to find out exactly how it was all shaping up rather than read the dozens of messages he had received throughout the day.

“Hey mom. How is going?”

“You would know if you were answering my texts! You really choose the right day to go full radio silence. Everyone is here, Charles. Where are you, guys?”

“On our way, don’t worry. We will be there in no time.”

“You haven’t left your place, did you?” it was not really a question, just a fact and Charles could almost picture his mom rolling her eyes.

“We’ve been a little bit carried away but don’t worry the situation is under control…”

“You had one job Charles, just to arrive on time.”

“Well, it was harder than expected…”

“What is hard? Because I sure can help with that.” Lyanna was just behind him completely oblivious to the fact that he was on the phone with his mom.

“There are some things that a mom doesn’t need to know. I’m going to leave you but please for the love of god, be quick.”

“I’ll try. I promise.” He hung up the phone and eyes his girlfriend. “My mom heard you and I think next time you’ll see her she is going to look at you in a very different way.”

“I’m sorry… but admit it, it’s funny. Just a little bit.”

“Having my mom knowing about our sex life is something funny to you?”

“Come on Charles, she is not stupid, she knows that you are not a sweet and pure and innocent little angel.”

“Of course! It doesn’t mean that she has to hear things!”

“She will be fine! What did she want, by the way?”

“Just to invite us for lunch tomorrow. Up for it?”

Charles was amazed at how easily lies slipped out of him.

Eventually they arrived outside the hotel where the birthday party was being held. Lyanna winced, quickly realising that Charles was not taking her to the quiet, intimate, relaxed place he had led her to believe.

“What did you do, Leclerc?”

“Spoiling my girlfriend. Come on, let’s get in.”

He got out of the car, handing his keys to the attendant as another employee opened Lyanna's door. Charles hurried to her side and offered her his hand, which she accepted.

She glanced suspiciously at Charles, who winked at her and smiled broadly. As soon as they entered the hotel lobby, they were directed to the private room, which Lyanna recognised. And that's when she saw them. All her family, her close friends and Sophia were there too. She was surprised to see Charles's family there too, along with Pierre and Kika, who had also travelled for the occasion. She even recognised Fred. She questioned Charles, who replied that his team principal had taken a liking to her, especially as he thought she was the reason why Charles was performing so well in this early part of the season. Emotion suddenly took hold of her and she felt tears welling up. Her mother was the first to come forward and give her a hug, soon to be joined by her best friend Emilie.

Charles gave them some space and went to talk to the other guests. The evening passed quickly and Charles could only feel his heart swell with joy at the happiness emanating from his girlfriend. She went from guest to guest, laughing, chatting and dancing. Just as he had found a quiet spot, Emilie came to join him.

“Charles Leclerc, finally I’m meeting you.”

“Emilie, right? Lya told me a lot about you.”

“It goes both ways. You are all she talks about when I have her on the phone… I feel like I know you without actually knowing you. Which is weird.”

She sipped her glass of champagne and sighed.

“I’m going to be honest if you don’t mind. Lya is my best friend, I might even dare to say she is the sister I’ve never had which is why I often feel the need to protect her. So don’t take it personally, but I made research on you.”

Charles almost choked on his drink.

“I found things that made me questioned your true motives with her. You don’t have the nicest dating history to be fair. I’ve got scared for her. Athletes don’t have the best reputation in terms of being faithful… But you make her happy, everyone can see that, even I. And I can see that you love her as well, not everyone would go out of their way to do something like that to someone if there were no real and deep feelings involved.  I still don’t like you. But for now I’m going to tolerate you. But I’m watching you. One dick move and I will hunt you down.”

“Copy. Right and clear. But don’t worry, I intend to keep her for a very, very long time.”

As the evening wore on, he found Lyanna eating a piece of cake. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes shone with excitement.

“I’m glad you made me leave the bed in the end…”

“See, I have good ideas sometimes.”

“Thank you, Charles. For everything.” She said seriously.

Charles put an arm around her shoulders and placed a kiss on her temple. She nestled a little closer to him and they enjoyed a brief moment of peace before returning to the guests. Lyanna stopped suddenly and tugged at Charles's sleeve before pointing to a corner of the room.

“Charles, do you see what I’m seeing?”

“Hum, well… your mom talking to Fred? Why? What’s wrong?”

“My mom is not talking! She is giggling Charles! Giggling! With Fred! They are so flirting.”

“Fred is single, your mom is too. If they can have some fun, good for them.”

“It’s my mom and technically your boss we are talking about!”

Charles paused.

“Yeah, you’re right. It’s weird. Imagine they actually get together, the kind of family reunions we could have! Do you think that would mean your mom would come at the Grand Prix?”

“I don’t want to imagine!”

“It would sure be fun and interesting! You could have Fred as a stepfather!”

“Shut up!”

Charles laughed and wrapped his arms around her as Lyanna groaned in protest.

Soon it was time for everyone to say goodbye. Lyanna thanked them for the surprise and soon left with Charles.

“Well, I’d say that your family and my family got on really well. That’s amazing. No awkward family reunions in sight.”

“Yeah… I can’t believe you did that for me. I mean, I can believe it because you prove me everyday how much you love me but… for you to actually take the time to organise that… it blows my mind.”

“Shout out to my mom who actually did most of the job. I really just had to get you there in time and I failed. But really, it was nothing. I know how much stressed you’ve been under lately and how much your family means to you; it was normal for me to do that. It was not much.”

“I love you so much, Charles. I couldn’t ask for a better birthday present.”

She placed a kiss on his cheek as Charles kept his eyes on the road before sliding a hand onto her knee and gave it a gentle squeeze.

=======

author's note: I love this chapter so much despite how long it is lmao 😂 As usual, let me know your thoughts through the comments or ask box if your too shy. And don't forget to leave a like or reblog the story. It helps. And it lets me know that you like the story. taglist @zendayabelova @purplephantomwolf @ru-kru @dakotali @blueflorals @aundercover @ruleroftheuniverse @fangirlika @writerscurse @elijahmikaelsonbitch @leclerc13 @karmabyfernando @stargaryenx @pitlanebabe @boiohboii @reengard If you are tagged but did not receive any notifications, please check your settings because it means that Tumblr didn't let me tag you.

#charles leclerc #writing #fiction #charles leclerc imagine #charles leclerc x reader #charles leclerc imagines #charles leclerc x female reader #cl16 #cl16 x reader #charles leclerc blurb #charles leclerc fanfic #f1 x oc #f1 fic #f1 fanfic #f1 imagine #f1 x reader

[yuzu-all-the-way]

Aoi Honoo IV - Prologue (the introduction)

Disclaimer: Full translation of AH4's Prologue done via machine translation (ChatGPT, Google Translate, DeepL and several other obscure online dictionaries). This means: nuances may be lost, meanings may be vague/muddled, but the relevant information is present. (@/LiaRyFS)

In 2019-2020, Hanyu Yuzuru thought about various things and hesitated, but ultimately he strongly decided to jump the quad Axel. Looking back on that season, he said as follows.

“2019 was a year of constant battle for me, including the World Championships in Saitama in March. I had been practising the quad Axel for a while, but it didn't go well for a long time… Sometimes I could jump it when I practised with a harness, and I thought, 'If I could do more of this, I might be able to do it.' But I also got injured again while trying things out, and there were many things that happened that season.

It was a year in which I kept challenging myself, but it was also a year in which I felt a sense of defeat as if everything had been broken. It's like there's nothing I can do on my own power, and that's how it felt…

At the Torino Grand Prix Final, of course, I felt that even if I made a lot of effort, I couldn't win without the support of the people around me. I somehow felt at that time that there is a world where no matter how much effort you put in, you can't win without the moment when everyone's power comes together, like at the Olympics.

However, it was a bit different from the statement made at the 2022 Beijing Olympics that 'effort will not be rewarded'. At that time, I think my desire to 'just get better' was still strong, so I was expressing those kinds of thoughts. As the consecutive competitions went on, I lost the strength to say such things when I lost at the All Japan Championships. 2019 was a year in which I struggled, not wanting to just be someone who won two consecutive Olympic titles, or someone from the past.”

When the new year began, he tried to find his way out of that despair.

“Since 2020, I have tested myself and thought a lot about what figure skating really means. So with the desire to regain my confidence, I returned to skating to my programs, ‘Ballade No. 1 in G minor’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘Ballade No. 1’) and ‘SEIMEI’. Since I had not yet won first place in the Four Continents Championships, there was a similar feeling of joy to my first victory in the 2019 GP Skate Canada. (N/T: Winning Skate Canada and 4CC sparked similar feelings of joy) I was really happy to have won! I think it was a big deal that Nathan Chen didn't participate at that time, but still winning the Four Continents for the first time and being able to win all the competitions that I had left behind gave me a sense of achievement and I was enveloped in a great sense of accomplishment.

However, what was bothering me inside was still the quadruple Axel. Even if I skated 'Ballade No.1' more beautifully than before and improved technically, there was a sense of resignation that 'I can't get a score higher than 2015' or something like that. The competition was the one where I felt like I had finally let go of my doubts and decided to focus solely on attempting the quadruple Axel. In a sense, that season was when I was able to establish a clear path towards expressing myself through the program and the 4A.”

However, his feelings were complex towards the World Championships that were coming up next (N/T: WC2020)

“In retrospect, I feel like I wasn't as fully invested in preparing for the World Championships as I thought I was, although at the time I was putting in my best effort. Unfortunately, it was ultimately cancelled due to the impact of the coronavirus. Winning the Four Continents Championship was a very fulfilling achievement, and I don't think it's normal to experience burnout after winning Four Continents, but in a way, there was a sense of resignation and a lifting of the confusion in my heart, combined with the fact that I was going to compete against Nathan, so... to be honest, that World Championships wasn't a competition where I had to jump the quadruple Axel, and the quadruple Axel wasn't a jump I could do even after practising it for about two weeks.

Since the program with the quad Lutz, 'SEIMEI,' had a different composition, I aimed to stabilise that first, and also, I had already peaked a little since the Four Continents, so honestly, during that short period, I couldn't do much except to adjust to get back to my peak. 

However, at that time, the fear of competing against Nathan had already disappeared. It's like, 'I don't mind losing anymore' (laughs). In a way, until the cancellation of the World Championships, I always thought that it would be enough for me to firmly express what I wanted to express and to firmly follow the path of figure skating that I believed in.

However, when the World Championships were actually cancelled, I cried a lot. I couldn't help but wonder, ‘What was I working so hard for?’ And when it was actually cancelled, I realised that I hated going into competitions with the mind-set of 'losing'.”

From there, the spread of the novel coronavirus increased and the situation became such that people were unable to move around freely.

“In the end, that was the end of the 2019-2020 season, and after that, the spread of the coronavirus began, but I didn't have much hope. I was devastated at the 2019 GP Final and All-Japan, and had given up after ‘Ballade No. 1’ at the 2020 Four Continents Championships. From that time on, I didn't have much hope while practising. Rather, the only goal was ‘to jump the quadruple Axel!’

Even if my skating skills and other things improve, it doesn’t mean that the program components score will grow any further. Even if I perfected the expression through music, even if I matched the sound of the jumps to the sound of the music. Even if I did jumps with more variations from difficult steps, the GOE will not improve significantly. Rather, because of that, the speed would be slower and the height of the jumps lower, so some judges give 0 or +1 GOE.

In that sense, I felt like ‘I don't really care about those things anymore’ and decided to be true to myself. Although it may sound like an excuse, rather than trying to do something while decorating myself as 'Yuzuru Hanyu', I think I started practising with the feeling of facing my own core and jumping the quadruple Axel, thinking ‘I'm going to finish this’. So, when I came back to Japan, I started training with that mind-set.

To be honest, there were times when I felt really hopeless, and when the World Championships were cancelled, I cried with relief thinking, ‘I'm glad I don't have to go to a losing match’. In reality, I hadn't been able to push myself to the limit and I wasn't able to perform as well as I wanted to.”

Challenging himself alone in Japan after returning home was even more difficult than he had imagined. Later, Hanyu talked about that time.

“In those days, I felt like I spent a lot of time having a dialogue with myself and facing skating. The desire to successfully perform a quad axel was always at the core of my being. After the Pyeongchang Olympics, I had absolutely no motivation, so if I didn't have the quad Axel, I think I would have definitely quit, and I would have thought about retiring earlier. But thanks to that, I think I now have a reason to live pursuing my dreams, and that is the centre of my current life. I think that hasn't changed from those days to now.

However, at that time, there were challenges in pursuing the quad Axel jump. There were times when the gears didn't quite mesh due to factors such as not having a coach to guide me, changes in practice environment, and issues with body care that I had to decide on my own. At that time, I had a feeling that not only my 4A but also the level of what I was doing was gradually decreasing. I had a feeling like, 'Why am I even doing figure skating?'...It was like a sense of loss. It's like my own abilities were diminishing, or like my skating wasn't my own anymore. I felt a strong sense of sadness, like seeing my ideals getting further and further away from me. When I perform in ice shows or when I have my coach watch me skate, I receive feedback like 'this was good' or 'let's try this a little differently' but when I set such a high goal for myself like attempting the quad Axel alone, I have to spend every day unable to achieve it. I was doing it without any self-affirmation in the midst of that.”

In addition, he completed his graduation thesis for the correspondence course of the Waseda University Faculty of Human Sciences at the end of July, but the burden of collecting data for it was also significant.

“That required a lot of energy. What was published in academic journals was really just a small part, and we actually collected much more data and did various things. It took time to collect that data and required a lot of mental effort as well. At that time, various things coincided. My foot hurt from practising the quadruple Axel, and I had to rest from practice. When I returned to practice, I couldn't jump at all... Everything was already leaning in a negative direction.”

The cancellation of the ice show that used to be held every year, due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, was also a loss for Hanyu, who had always continued to challenge himself with a forward-looking attitude.

“To be honest, there was a time when I didn't understand why I loved skating. If we really, really go back to the origin, it was something like an extraordinary feeling. The sensation on the ice is completely different from the sensation of living on the ground, isn't it? Because it's such a difficult thing, I think there was a sense of joy when I was able to do it. And then, skating alone on that wide rink and everyone watching only me. If my performance was good, I would receive tremendous cheers, but if it was bad, I would only get mediocre feedback. 

I think that sensation of being watched, of being seen, is something that I really liked. But as I continued skating for a long time, that feeling gradually faded away, or became commonplace. In addition to that, there was also a lot of pressure to meet everyone's expectations, and it became not just fun, but also nerve-wracking, worrying about what would happen if I failed, and so on. It was because of the accumulation of those things, and the increasing burden that came with it, that it stopped being enjoyable, or rather, there was no time to think about enjoying it anymore.

I feel a lot of pressure to 'perform well’ even at ice shows, so I practise a lot for that purpose. So, I think that's why, during the off-season when I wasn't in front of everyone, I started to feel even more like 'why did I love skating again?'”

In the midst of feeling cornered, he had to think and make various decisions on his own. And he had to keep challenging himself with the high hurdle of the quadruple Axel.

“There were times when things didn't go well, and that's why at that time, my mind and my head were in a mess and I felt like I couldn't do anything. Normally, if I played a game or something, it would refresh me and I would think ‘Alright, let's do our best next time,’ but at that time, there was nothing I could do.

Experiencing the pain of practising alone to the point of hating it, Hanyu decided to withdraw from the Grand Prix series during that period. The Grand Prix series of this year was held in a modified format due to travel restrictions between countries. Each skater was allowed to participate in only one event, and the conditions for participation included skaters, judges, and officials from the host country, as well as skaters who regularly practised in the host country. In addition, only skaters from other countries who were invited based on their geographical location were able to participate.

Afterwards, the second event Skate Canada and the fourth event in France were cancelled, and only the first event Skate America, the third event in China, the fifth event in Russia, and the sixth event NHK Trophy were held. The Final was also announced to be cancelled. 

In August, Hanyu took into consideration that "many people would have to travel due to my participation".

He announced his withdrawal, saying, "If I refrain from going and make efforts to prevent the spread of infection, I believe it can be one of the activities to prevent the spread of infection." For Hanyu, who has used going to competitions as a way to stimulate his emotions and as a source of energy for his evolution, it was a difficult decision.

#yuzuru hanyu #aoi honoo iv #aoi honoo iv translation #machine translation #aoi hono

[umgeorge]

We Sat Down With George Russell Ahead Of Grand Prix Weekend

Nothing beats the buzz you'll find in Melbourne ahead of Grand Prix weekend, but the energy in the room with George Russell-British racer who steers the mighty W15 for Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team-is nothing but relaxed. His green room is a cocoon of calm in an otherwise chaotic weekend of press, brand obligations, training, and, of course, actually driving the damn car come lights out on Sunday. Greeted with a cool fist bump ("You alright, mate?"), George parks himself across from me ahead of his appearance at the IWC Chadstone boutique that same evening. Smiles on, eyes attentive, and, of course, with his timepiece in full view of the cameras, we get straight into it with the man who's always on the clock, be it his own, the FIA's, or someone else's.

John McMahon: "George, give us your favourite moment from last season. If you had to pick just one." George: "Crossing the line in Abu Dhabi to secure P2 for the team in the championship, for sure. There was such a tight battle with Ferrari for a number of races and when we went into that race it was sort of me and Charles battling it out, then suddenly, Perez came through quick and he had the five second penalty and it went down to half a second. That was the difference between us finishing second in the championship or third in the championship, and that's 2,000 peoples' bonuses back at the factory, as well. So that was a relief to secure that result for the team."

JM: "What about the off-season? Favourite moment? Do you ever feel like you really switch off?" George: "I would say I managed to switch off for about a week during the off-season, which is pretty good, but I've always got racing on my mind and I'm always dropping my engineers messages and phone calls just with ideas I have of how we can improve. But I think my favourite moment was just seeing my niece and nephew. My sister had a child, as well, in the off-season, so that was a special moment. But just doing normal stuff, being a normal person is what I like the most."

JM: "So you wore a few different watches from IWC last year, but it looks like the one you wore the most was the Ceratanium Top Gun Double Chrono." George: "Yeah, that's my favourite by far. I love it because, when I joined Mercedes as a junior driver, that was the watch that I said I wanted, and when my first IWC arrived from the team it wasn't that watch. [laughs] And it was only three years later that I managed to actually get my hands on that watch when I could afford it and I was actually a part of the Mercedes team, so it means something to me. I think it just looks really, really cool, doesn't it? It's not too out there but it's got quite a sporty look to it, so you can wear it daily. It's my go-to."

JM: "If you had to pick a watch for traveling, a watch for the paddock, a watch for date night… where would you land?" George: "Hmm, for the paddock... Probably what I'm wearing currently, the new Mercedes team watch, the Performance Chronograph from IWC. It's similar to the Top Gun in terms of the colour and the style, but the Petronas green details add a layer of depth, so that would definitely be my paddock watch. Date night, probably the Portugieser Annual Calendar. Keep it classy." JM: "And travel?" George: "I really like the-I can never pronounce it as gracefully as the Swiss-Ingenieur. It's light, easy on the wrist, and fits under a cuff as well. For travelling you never want anything too bulky."

JM: "Last year you did probably one of my all-time bucket list experiences. You embraced the Top Gun ethos in a RAF Typhoon fighter jet. It's probably the only career that's faster than an F1 car. Did it ever appeal to you, that career?" George: "It never appealed to me, but since having the experience of… Well, firstly, I just thought I was going to be a passenger. I didn't know at the time they were going to let me fly, and getting the chance to actually fly it myself, I mean, experience of a lifetime, and would really love to get back up there, because it is like a Formula 1 car up in the skies." JM: "There are a lot of parallels, aren't there?" George: "It's so agile and quick. You've got the joystick in front of you, you just move it and the thing just rolls over instantly. It's the same with an F1 car, when you're traveling, you know, 330 km/h down the straight, you turn into the corner and you zoom immediately to the other side of the track. You're in the cockpit in both respects, but the team is like such a massive part of making that operation actually happen. There's so much camaraderie between everybody. It was like a family away from home as it is for us in Formula 1. Awesome experience, so yeah, a lot of respect for what they're doing."

JM: "The inverse of that: What's the most boring thing about being an F1 driver? You can say interviews like these, I won't be offended." George: "What do you think is the most boring thing about being an F1 driver?" JM: "Probably interviews like these, no? Being pulled left, right and centre the whole time. How about time on a plane?" George: "I want to do the numbers, but I reckon over the course of a year we would spend closing in on I'd go as far as almost a whole month on a plane. All of the flights within Europe alone, I'm doing probably five flights a week on average. There are 4,000 people who travel the world for Formula 1, and it's a very luxurious lifestyle on the face of it, but a lot of time away from home, away from loved ones, a lot of time zone shifts, brutal on the body, but you know we wouldn't change it for the world because we love what we do. It's the best job in the world."

JM: "Let's talk Vegas. It didn't go quite according to plan for you last year, but was such a momentous occasion for the sport and to be under the lights. Talk us through that first time you drove the car down that strip." George: "It was fast and bumpy, one hell of a ride. On the face of it the circuit seemed pretty underwhelming, but when we drove it, it had a huge amount of character. It was great for racing and it was very challenging to drive; really low grip. We were the only category racing, so the track was very green and dusty, so for drivers it was a unique challenge. I think in the race we were doing about 350 km/h. It was very difficult to spot the breaking points 120 metres out. When you're racing in the dark, you've got the buildings between you, all the lights at such wild speeds, it was surreal."

JM: "Aside from the obvious, do you have a personal goal for 2024 that gives us some sort of insight into the man that is George Russell? It could be getting better at Spanish on Duolingo…" George: [laughs] "My girlfriend would love that. No, just to enjoy the journey. I think it's so easy to get caught up in the competitive nature of the sport and the emotional rollercoaster that you go through, the highs and the lows. It's a psychological toll on the body, so you need to turn that into good energy and positivity, happiness, and that's what I'm gonna try and do a bit more of in 2024. We've all got this one life and you just need to maximise it and the days fly by."

JM: "On that same thought then, you've got the likes of Fernando, who we wouldn't be surprised if he's still racing when he’s fifty, and then you've got Nico, who's out on top after taking the championship. Are you a race until the body says no, kind of guy?" George: "I'll be here for a long time. I don't know what I'd do without it, to be honest. I'm not one of these guys who has all of these interests outside the sport. Some people need their passions outside to disconnect as a way of enhancing their performance on the track, and I respect that. For me, my life is racing. But I'm far from achieving what I set out to and believe I'm capable of. The seasons are becoming intense, very intense, and increasingly more challenging with the number of races. I'm fit and healthy and young at the moment, and I'm dealing with it absolutely fine, but I want to make sure that in ten years' time, when I'm 35, that I can deal with a 24 race calendar and I'm still fit and I'm still performing on the top of my game."

JM: "When you get off the plane here in Melbourne, what excites you most about the weekend ahead?" George: "Those first laps and the first practice. That's always a really exciting moment because you head into a race weekend with the unknown. We have an indication of what this weekend's going to bring. We're pretty confident a Red Bull is going to be at the sharp end of the grid. We don't know if we're going to be up there fighting with them, if we're going to be on the back foot, if the car's going to be performing well, if I'm going to be performing well, and those you get an indication after about three laps on track of how your weekend's gonna pan out and it's always a really exciting moment, the unknown. I just can't wait to jump into that car again."

#george russell #f1 #formula 1 #australian gp 2024 #fic ref #fic ref 2024 #australia #australia 2024 #australia 2024 wednesday #not a race #2024 not a race #between saudi arabia and australia 2024 #fernando alonso #tw nico

[kwisatzworld]

Future World Superbike champion Neil Hodgson was racing in the premier 500cc class that year and remembers the teenage Rossi as a very noisy and slightly annoying presence. ‘It was like he had ADHD!’ he says. ‘He was so loud and he had the loudest scooter in the paddock, too. And he had really weird hair. This was 1995 when he was racing in the European 125 championship, which had some rounds alongside Grand Prix meetings. He was battling at the front but didn’t particularly stand out to me as a rider, I just always thought, “Oh my God, get this kid away from me!” because he was so noisy. He was certainly memorable though.

“Valentino is one of the most curious people I have ever met,” says Carlo Pernat. “I remember in that first season in 1996 he asked me about everything! ‘Who is this man?’ ‘Why is this green?’ ‘Why is it made like that?’ He was as curious as a monkey about everything! But that is probably one of the best characteristics of Valentino. Curiosity is a form of intelligence.”

Carlo Pernat: “It was not always easy working with Valentino. He was so young when he was riding for Aprilia. In 1997, when he won his first world championship, Jacques Villeneuve won the F1 world championship for Renault and Valentino wanted to meet him. I knew the chairman of Renault, so arranged for Valentino and Villeneuve to appear on stage in Bologna at a special event along with the championship-winning bike and car. The place was packed and there were so many media people there. Twenty minutes before he was due to go on stage, Valentino told me he had to go to the toilet and then he just completely disappeared.” To this day, Pernat has no idea why. “Even now when I ask him where he went he never gives me an answer! Maybe there was some girl involved, I don’t know! But it was really embarrassing for everybody and it made me look very bad in front of my bosses. But this is Valentino! And he was very young at the time.”

#valentino rossi: the definitive biography #by stuart barker #reading

[russellius]

NOTHING beats the buzz you’ll find in Melbourne ahead of Grand Prix weekend. But the energy in the room with George Russell — British racer who steers the mighty W15 for Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team — is nothing but relaxed.

His green room is a cocoon of calm in an otherwise chaotic weekend of press, brand obligations, training, and of course — actually driving the damn car come lights out on Sunday.

Greeted with a cool fist bump (“You alright, mate?”) George parks himself across from me ahead of his appearance at the IWC Chadstone boutique that same evening. Smiles on, eyes attentive — and of course, with his timepiece in full view of the cameras — we get straight into it with the man who’s always on the clock; be it his own, the FIA’s, or someone else’s.

John McMahon: George, give us your favourite moment from last season. If you had to pick just one.

George Russell: Crossing the line in Abu Dhabi to secure P2 for the team in the championship, for sure. There was such a tight battle with Ferrari for a number of races and when we went into that race it was sort of me and Charles battling it out — then suddenly, Perez came through quick and he had the five second penalty and it went down to half a second. That was the difference between us finishing second in the championship or third in the championship, and that’s 2,000 people’s bonuses back at the factory as well. So that was a relief to secure that result for the team.

JM: What about the off-season? Favourite moment? Do you ever feel like you really switch off?

GR: I would say I managed to switch off for about a week during the off-season, which is pretty good. But I’ve always got racing on my mind and I’m always dropping my engineers messages and phone calls just with ideas I have of how we can improve. But I think my favourite moment was just seeing my niece and nephew. My sister had a child as well in the off season so that was a special moment. But just doing normal stuff, being a normal person is what I like the most.

JM: So you wore a few different watches from IWC last year, but it looks like the one you wore the most was the Ceratanium TOP GUN Double Chrono…

GR: Yeah that’s my favourite by far. I love it because when I joined Mercedes as a junior driver, that was the watch that I said I wanted. And when my first IWC arrived from the team it wasn’t that watch [laughs]. And it was only three years later that I managed to actually get my hands on that watch when I could afford it and I was actually a part of the Mercedes team. So it means something to me. I think it just looks really, really cool, doesn’t it? It’s not too out there but it’s got quite a sporty look to it, so you can wear it daily. It’s my go-to.

JM: If you had to pick a watch for traveling, a watch for the paddock, a watch for date night… where would you land?

GR: Hmm, for the paddock — probably what I’m wearing currently, the new Mercedes team watch, the Performance Chronograph from IWC. It’s similar to the TOP GUN in terms of the colour and the style, but the Petronas green details add a layer of depth. So that would definitely be my paddock watch. Date night, probably the Portugieser Annual Calendar. Keep it classy.

JM: And travel?

GR: I really like the — I can never pronounce it as gracefully as the Swiss — Ingenieur. It’s light, easy on the wrist, and fits under a cuff as well. For travelling you never want anything too bulky.

JM: Last year you did probably one of my all-time bucket list experiences. You embraced the Top Gun ethos in a RAF Typhoon fighter jet. It’s probably the only career that’s faster than an F1 car. Did it ever appeal to you, that career?

GR: It never appealed to me, but since having the experience of… Well, firstly, I just thought I was going to be a passenger. I didn’t know at the time they were going to let me fly. And getting the chance to actually fly it myself, I mean, experience of a lifetime, and would really love to get back up there, because it is like a Formula 1 car up in the skies.

JM: There are a lot of parallels, aren’t there?

GR: It’s so agile and quick. You’ve got the joystick in front of you, you just move it and the thing just rolls over instantly. It’s the same with an F1 car, when you’re traveling, you know, 330 km/h down the straight, you turn into the corner and you zoom immediately to the other side of the track.

You’re in the cockpit in both respects, but the team is like such a massive part of making that operation actually happen. There’s so much camaraderie between everybody. It was like a family away from home as it is for us in Formula 1. Awesome experience, so yeah, a lot of respect for what they’re doing.

JM: The inverse of that… what’s the most boring thing about being an F1 driver? You can say interviews like these, I won’t be offended.

GR: What do you think is the most boring thing about being an F1 driver?

JM: Probably interviews like these, no? Being pulled left, right and centre the whole time. How about time on a plane?

GR: I want to do the numbers but I reckon over the course of a year we would spend closing in on I’d go as far as almost a month a whole month on a plane. All of the flights within Europe alone, I’m doing probably five flights a week on average.

There are 4,000 people who travel the world for Formula 1, and it’s a very luxurious lifestyle on the face of it, but a lot of time away from home, away from loved ones, a lot of time zone shifts, brutal on the body, but you know we wouldn’t change it for the world because we love what we do. It’s the best job in the world.

JM: Let’s talk Vegas. It didn’t go quite according to plan for you last year, but was such a momentous occasion for the sport and to be under the lights. Talk us through that first time you drove the car down that strip.

GR: It was fast and bumpy, one hell of a ride. On the face of it, the circuit seemed pretty underwhelming, but when we drove it, it had a huge amount of character. It was great for racing and it was very challenging to drive — really low grip. We were the only category racing, so the track was very green and dusty, so for drivers it was a unique challenge.

I think in the race we were doing about 350 km/h, it was very difficult to spot the breaking points 120 metres out. When you’re racing in the dark, you’ve got the buildings between you, all the lights at such wild speeds, it was surreal.

JM: Aside from the obvious, do you have a personal goal for 2024 that gives us some sort of insight into the man that is George Russell? It could be getting better at Spanish on Duolingo…

GR: [Laughs] My girlfriend would love that. No, just to enjoy the journey. I think it’s so easy to get caught up in the competitive nature of the sport and the emotional rollercoaster that you go through, the highs and the lows. It’s a psychological toll on the body, so you need to turn that into good energy and positivity, happiness. And that’s what I’m gonna try and do a bit more of in 2024. We’ve all got this one life and you just need to maximise it and the days fly by.

JM: On that same thought then, you’ve got the likes of Fernando — who we wouldn’t be surprised if he’s still racing when he’s 50 — and then you’ve got Nico who’s out on top after taking the championship. Are you a race until the body says no, kind of guy?

GR: I’ll be here for a long time. I don’t know what I’d do without it, to be honest. I’m not one of these guys who has all of these interests outside the sport. Some people need their passions outside to disconnect as a way of enhancing their performance on the track, and I respect that. For me, my life is racing. But I’m far from achieving what I set out to and believe I’m capable of.

The seasons are becoming intense, very intense, and increasingly more challenging with the number of races. I’m fit and healthy and young at the moment, and I’m dealing with it absolutely fine, but I want to make sure that in 10 years’ time, when I’m 35 that I can deal with a 24 race calendar and I’m still fit and I’m still performing on the top of my game.

JM: When you get off the plane here in Melbourne, what excites you most about the weekend ahead?

GR: Those first laps and the first practice, that’s always a really exciting moment because you head into a race weekend with the unknown. We have an indication of what this weekend’s going to bring. We’re pretty confident a Red Bull is going to be at the sharp end of the grid.

We don’t know if we’re going to be up there fighting with them, if we’re going to be on the back foot, if the car’s going to be performing well, if I’m going to be performing well and those you get an indication after about three laps on track of how your weekend’s gonna pan out and it’s always a really exciting moment, the unknown. I just can’t wait to jump into that car again.

#george russell #f1 #*m #australian gp 2024 #aus24 #australia #24 #q #many good bits in here! :) #('being a normal person is what i like the most' ... ❤️‍🩹) #(the parallels in my head are growing)

[watercolor-hearts]

For the prompt: Charles winning his first championship after the last race and Max being with him on the podium

This prompt fits really well to Broken Hearts and Broken Dreams in my charles wdc au tag so I kinda wrote it in a way it can be a third chapter to it but it can also be a single-chapter story. I hope you'll like it! 😊 (Also, please forgive me my one sentence of Google Translate Italian...)

You can read the previous two chapters here, if you're interested: First chapter, Second chapter.

Max/Charles • 1203 words • World Champion Charles • happiness • hugs • champagne shower • shoey • implied smut(?) • implied mpreg (at the end) • Ao3 link

-

Violins playin' and the angels cryin'

When the stars align, then I'll be there

“Il Predestinato, sei il campione del mondo!” Xavi screamed on the radio after Charles crossed the line on the last race of the season, “Charles Leclerc, you're the world champion! What a race, what a season, what a driver!”

“Oh my Goooood!” Charles screamed, tears filling his eyes, not waiting long until running down his cheeks. “We're back on the top, guys, we're back! Oh my God! I can't believe it! Thank you so much to everyone on the team, I couldn't have done this without you, guys. This is for everyone, team! I'm proud of you all. Thank you so much!” Charles said, his heart filled with emotions, struggling to put his thoughts together as he drove the car back to the pits after the cool-down lap. He couldn't believe he's finally reached his goal, his dream. World Champion with Ferrari. The Predestined put it all together and brought Ferrari back where they belong. The stars aligned and he was there.

“Did you see the fireworks?” Xavi asked before Charles got out of the car. “They're for you, Charles. Enjoy!”

“Unbelievable,” Charles said, smiling under the helmet as he prepared to get out, “Thank you so much!

As he got out of the car and stood on it to celebrate, pointing to the Ferrari logo on his suit over his heart, the cheer of the fans and the team became even louder than it was on the cool-down lap. They filled his heart with pride.

“Il Predestinato!” Daniel exclaimed when he went to Charles after getting out of his Red Bull at the third place spot, “Congratulations, mate!”, he said, pulling Charles into a bone-crushing hug, “Incredible season, incredible driver. Well deserved, Charles. Be proud of yourself, this one's for you.”

“Thank you, mate,” Charles smiled as he hugged back, “Oh my God, this is incredible, I can't believe it.”

When they let go of the hug, Max congratulated him too, first without words, only with a hug because he wasn't sure what to say. It hurt that he couldn't win but he was also incredibly proud of Charles because he raced clean, with almost zero mistakes all season and their battles were really enjoyable, they made Max fall in love with this sport again. It's not the same without having strong competitors to race with. And now he had one, again, after years of domination. It hurt him to lose but things change, the focus changes, and the better one wins. And this time it was Charles.

“Are you okay?” Charles asked when Max still hadn't said anything but kept hugging him.

“Yeah, sorry,” Max said almost too quietly for Charles to hear, “Congratulations, Charles. I always knew you would of course be a world champion one day. This is the day. You were amazing, it was very lovely to race with you,” Max said, squeezing Charles' shoulder, “I can't wait for you to step on the top of the podium and shine, I promise it will be an amazing feeling.”

Charles smiled and when Max let him go, he ran to the team to celebrate with them before heading to the interviewer to do the post-race interview and then to the cool-down room to wait there until they could go to the podium.

All the hugs, shoulder pats, touch, congratulations, and everything made him feel so loved and appreciated he couldn't even believe it. It was almost like he was waiting to wake up from this dream, but it wasn't a dream, it was the long awaited reality, the result of all the hard work, blood, sweat, and tears. He put everything in this season. Everything. And it was worth it.

A few minutes later they were standing on the podium, the Monegasque anthem just started and that was when Charles couldn't hold the tears back anymore. With his hand over his heart, he looked up to the sky, thinking about his father and Jules. He did this for them, too, because without them he couldn't be there today. He didn't care about the tears anymore, he didn't wipe them off. This moment was for the emotions.

After they've got the trophies, Max and Daniel gave an incredible champagne shower to Charles, it looked like he was bathing in holy water. When Max and Daniel stopped for a moment to drink, it was Charles' time to get revenge on them. First on Daniel because he was closer, and then he moved on to his boyfriend.

“I heard you like the champagne shower, Max!” Charles laughed when Max turned his back to him, not wanting the shower in his face.

“He likes it,” Daniel agreed, joining Charles, “But you know what he likes more? This,” Daniel said while getting his shoes off, to fill it with the rest of his champagne.

“Charles needs to drink the first one,” Max stated, looking at Charles as he sprayed the fans and the team under the podium.

Max didn't care about his second place anymore. Seeing Charles this happy meant everything to him.

“The shoey is here for the world champion,” Daniel said, showing it to Charles.

“Oh my God,” Charles exclaimed, laughing, “I can't escape it anymore.”

“Yeah,” Daniel nodded, “It's time to try it. Max has the other one,” Daniel gave his other shoe to Max, “Make this one an epic moment.”

Daniel didn't need to say more, Charles looked at Max, Max nodded, and then both of them drank the champagne from Daniel's shoes while Daniel stood behind them like a wedding officiant. The champagne tasted awful but it still was a big thing for them.

“Now you have to drink one, too,” Charles told Daniel when he gave back the shoe. “You need to suffer with us.”

“It's not even that bad,” Daniel laughed before drinking out the last few drops of champagne from his shoe. At that moment he knew Charles was right, because yes, it indeed was suffering. Stinky and sweaty champagne. Delicious. But they all laughed and that was the point of it. Enjoying the moment.

And Charles enjoyed the whole night that day, celebrating with the team, partying, and then going home to his family with Max for a few calmer days. He needed it after all the celebrations.

One night, at Charles' apartment, Charles and Max celebrated together, in the most beautiful way possible, by making love. It wasn't fucking like what they usually do. No, it was making love. There's a difference and Max wanted to show this to Charles because special occasions require special treatment.

And even though they didn't know back then, they put the cherry on the top of their journey, because a few weeks later Charles started experiencing symptoms he has already experienced once back in the season. But this time it was happy news for them.

Before the winter testing, both Charles and Max shocked the world by announcing their retirement, revealing their relationship and, at the same time, also announcing that they're going to have a baby.

They both achieved what they wanted in this sport, it was now time to start a family.

#lestappen #charles wdc au #broken hearts and broken dreams #charles leclerc #max verstappen #formula 1 #formula 1 fanfic #my writing #anonymous asks

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

Taskmaster s15e01 was an exciting start to the new season, and capped off with a top quality podcast episode, one of the best. Dara O’Briain is an excellent podcast guest for the same reason he was an excellent contestant: he’s ridiculously, genuinely competitive. Like in his previous podcast appearance, he analyzed the whole thing like it was an actual sport, took it seriously, got annoyed about things, had good insights, just everything I want in a contestant.

I love how much of this episode was spent on Dara just trying to settle his own scores. Throwing them in there even when Ed Gamble didn’t specifically give him the opportunities to do so – Dara just had to get that in anyway. Arguing with something Sarah Millican said on this same podcast months ago. Talking shit about John Kearns. Complaining that no one else thought it was as big a deal as he thought it was when he won Taskmaster.

Okay, that bit actually got me because, like, I know he was joking. I know he does understand that Taskmaster is not actually a thing where it matters who wins. But he described that phenomenon so accurately that I think he must have genuinely experienced it, at least a bit. The phenomenon where you win something you’ve wanted to win so much, and when it happens, no one will ever care as much as you did. And then you just have to go about your life the next day, as though it didn’t happen, and it feels weird, as though the world should have changed now that you’ve accomplished this, but it hasn’t. That’s a common thing to happen to athletes after they win a major championship, I’ve seen it a lot and experienced it a couple of times myself. And okay, okay, I know that didn’t literally happen to Dara O’Briain after he won Taskmaster, because it’s Taskmaster, and I know he’s aware that it’s only a comedy show. I’m just saying, in his rant near the beginning about being annoyed that people didn’t care enough that he’d won, he described that phenomenon pretty accurately for someone who was completely joking.

You can also hear the ambition in everything Dara said in that podcast, linking so many things back to Champion of Champions III. Doing it more often than would make sense, by just enough so you can see that’s genuinely on his mind, not just a thing he was putting on for the podcast recording. Watching this season to scout the competition.

So I love that Dara O’Briain sees the show pretty much exactly the same way I do, as a substitute for high-level sport to be approached and analyzed in a similar way. But I really liked the clip I uploaded here, because it shows he’s on my wavelength in another way as well. Last year when Mock the Week got canceled, I knew that my instinct to shape everything into a narrative was kicking in a bit too much, as I talked about Frankie Boyle, after every fucking thing that happened there, outlasting them in the topical comedy show game after all. I like playing “look where they started and look where they are now”, that’s an especially weird game to play with old Mock the Week episodes, when you consider that Russell Howard is just about the only comedian left with his own topical comedy show at this point. He should not have been the one to win that battle.

Because Frankie did outlast them, but not for long. And Dara’s right! Oh, I could tie so many narrative threads together if those two ended up together in Champion of Champions. Were both there for this whole thing on Mock the Week years ago, Frankie works his way back to rival Mock the Week at the top of the topical comedy show game, both shows get axed within a few months of each other by the BBC, now they face each other again on a very different battlefield.

Really, Dara thinking along the same lines as I am when it comes to this isn’t all that different from him thinking along the same lines that I do when it comes to the how competitive Taskmaster should be. They both come from the same basic idea of wanting to fit the show into a sports narrative, and it’s always a powerful sports narrative if it follows the basic structure of “these two people started out together, went in different directions, grew and developed and passed each other, traded off who was most successful at given times, and now they come up against each other”.

I mean, it would be a shocking turn of events if Frankie Boyle did win this season and get into Champion of Champions III, which is where this whole idea falls down. But I just like that Dara thought of it. I’m not the only person putting that stuff together for no good reason.

[justformula1]

A little game, pre season (you obviously don't have to do it, I just thought it could be fun):

Who of the rookies are you most exited for?

Which team do you think will have the most intern fights/battles?

Who do you think will dnf first?

Who do you think will have the most dnfs?

Do you think someone will have his maiden win? If yes, who?

Do you think we will get a reserve driver step in? If yes, who do you think it could be?

Who do you think will win the first GP?

Do you think Pierre will get a penalty point in the first race and has to sit out the second race?

Do you think Max will get his third world championship or is it someone else?

Do you think someone will retire after this season? If yes who?

What is your wildest prediction for the season?

Sorry forgot to do this Saturday(cleaning the house took longer then I wanted) but I’m going to do this now!

So out of the three rookies(Nyck, Logan and Oscar) I'm rooting for all three. I always love it when there is new blood in F1 and they can show their talent. I hope they succeed.

I have a feeling it's going to be several teams. But I'm thinking Red Bull, Mercedes, Alpine, Ferrari and I hope that Haas burns..

If you look at last season it could be Haas or Williams, but I don't think I can answer this one properly until the first test days

Haas will have the most dnf's (justice for Mick)

I really hope Lando will get his maiden win, he deserves it. Should have happened at GPRussia. If not Lando then Alex.

If we get a reserve driver most likely it will be Mick since he is the reserve driver for a lot of teams

It's going to be someone from Red Bull, Ferrari or Mercedes. But I really hope either Max, Charles and Lewis.

Yes, because that would just be hilarious if that happened to Pierre.

I hope we get more of a fight this year like there was in 2021(without those crashes please Max and Lewis) but Max is the big contender and I hope he does(sorry proud dutch person over here but if Charles wins his first or Lewis his 8th I still be happy and excited for that person).

If the car isn't up to standards and it goes the same as last year I have a feeling it might be Lewis but it really depends on how they develop and can get on the podium.

I think we are going to be surprised about some of the teams who are midfield/ backfield and we are going to be seeing a lot of fights! So my prediction is that Oscar will get his first podium in F1...

This was fun. Thanks for the questions nonnie. If someone else has more questions for me my inbox is open. I really enjoyed this!

I wish all the drivers a fantastic season and to all the fans I hope your favourite driver is doing fantastic!

#nonnie #max verstappen #lando norris #lewis hamilton #mick schumacher #charles leclerc #alex albon #oscar piastri #logan sergeant #nyck de vries #carlos sainz jr #george russell #kevin magnussen #niko hulkenberg #sergio perez #valtteri bottas #guanyu zhou #fernando alonso #pierre gasly #esteban ocon #lance stroll #yuki tsunoda #f1 season 2023

[formulatrash]

top 5 seasons in any motorsport?

nothing makes me madder than when I craft a good reply and tumblr eats it!!!! don’t make me redraft you chaos vortex of a half-baked gif workshop, how dare you force me to “improve” my “””writing””” I will deliberately make it much worse.

anyway, this was a good question! whoops under a cut to save your dashes

5. Season 4, Formula E

ok this... it might not actually have been that great a season. and you’ll never know now because the races aren’t on YouTube!!! but like, indulge me here: it was my season and I managed to not think about Sam Bird or his title chances so much, so hard, over so many races that it was him and JEV in contention at the end of it all. my horrible faves!* and it was the end of Gen1 which surely meant something. and there was so much comedy drama! Daniel’s win getting cancelled, then him taking Audi’s first win for a second time and them being pure mad about it because they’d wanted to bin him off for Rene Rast only Lucas had thrown a shitfit and then there he was completely justifying his place on the team!! (I don’t think the direct Audi team thought this but there were corporate machinations) and the absolutely dogshit Andretti car which, my word, you had to feel sorry for Antonio dragging around week after week but which had some truly comedy failures. and Alex Lynn!!!!! all season!!! that wouldn’t happen again until season ruddy seven ffs. shame the car sucked. anyway, good year, good year. we all assume hurling ourselves into the unknown from a relatively secure and financially lucrative corporate position will be rewarded by seeing our faves and perhaps the driver we most horrifically project onto rewarded and it worked!!!! 

4. 2020 Formula 1 season

no I know this is a weird choice but I... really liked the 2020 season. it was so weird, obviously and quiet but that somehow. felt right. like there was something changing somewhere, like there was time to think. I don’t really like the glitzy grift side of F1, can’t have an annual Celebrity Interview Discourse Month if you’ve got no celebs can ya and also this was the most reasonable-length season for ages. maybe I simply think of it fondly because FE dropped the ball so chronically in 2020 and also that there was that big, long dark period of nothing so having something at all felt like a lifeline but. Lewis quietly winning the title in Turkey might be my favourite win of his. a little comfort championship after a terrible year.

3. 1997 Formula 1 season

I know what you are about to say!!! unless it’s ‘fuck off grandma’ in which case, yeah, fair. but yes I know I should like the 1996 season more but - and this is the only time in which I will allow this - 1997 was the banter timeline. Jacques Villeneuve won but honestly, that’s totally immaterial to whatever the hell was going on with everyone this year. hardly anyone could finish a race 

also I was, like, 11. so. also this was the year when Hungary just decided to commit violence when Damon dragged that piece of shit Arrows to the second row in qualifying and then!!! the lead!!!! and it shat itself in the final laps like the miserable little hangover of an F1 it was. I have been well set up for disappointment ever since. 

2. 2017 World Endurance Championship 

flipped around a bit on this but actually yeah. yeah!!!! this was the last year of there being two competitive hybrid LMP1 teams (Porsche and Toyota) and without Audi making everyone look like total idiots it was suddenly a genuinely big old battle. and at the same time, LMP2 got really competitive, which it always had been but maybe it was just it was getting more air time at last. and there was actually a proper LMGT pro field with more than one make! ah, heady times. also Le Mans that year was this made dustball of swirling heat and every LMP1 retired in the space of 15 minutes at like 3am while I’d lain down in a bit of warm dirt by the side of the Dunlop curves and then the one Porsche did qualifying laps for the entire rest of the race to get back to the front. Jota nearly won it outright! ok, WEC is allowed to be banter. that is basically what it’s for. 

1. 2000 World Rally Championship 

listen, someone needs to let me write the simmeringly homoerotic screenplay (Rush-style) about Colin McCrae and Carlos Sainz Snr. these fucks couldn’t stand each other at all! and even worse, the idea anyone else might be their closest rival or team mate. intolerable. 2000 was when they met back up at Ford after a few years of pretending they could ever despise other people as much as each other and it was also a real classic of a fight. Sainz and McCrae ended up scrapping for third while Gronholm and Burns ran away with it and perhaps it was that, the title out of the window, that made this one of their most tender and terrible years. the Ford sucked and they both knew they were better than it, united in disgust for the car and each other. weep.

*’horrible’ and ‘fave’ here being used as a) hyperbolic way of expressing I love them and admire them, b) obviously all of them are my faves. well, apart from that one. faves is an evolving concept that encompasses all my terrible (see point a) sons (see point b)

#motorsport asks

[missguomeiyun]

Homecooking [May ed]

Be proud of me :P  I cooked more this month haha

I also did some night shifts. .. & lived thru over a week of really poor air quality. I shouldn’t be complaining, considering ppl have lost homes, businesses, & community facilities/shops but it was just so bad. It’s bad for me, so I could only imagine what it’s like for ppl with respiratory or heart problems. Every yr there are wildfires here but I read somewhere that this is the 1st time AB beat BC in ‘starting’ of wildfires. Like our Albertan wildfires aren’t supposed to start yet but we had a few days where temperature was 10degrees above average, plus the winds. .. Yikes!!

^ that’s the sun at 0815h o_O !!!!

Now that short track season, primarily the World Championships ended. .. the sports event I was looking to was the Sudirman Cup for badminton. It’s held every 2 yrs & this yr, the venue is was in Suzhou - China’s 1st international badminton event in over 3 yrs! Can’t say much about the venue bcos I only see the inside & it’s focussed on a court lol but BWF inserts travel-themed clips in the opening of every live so I got to see some of the views in Suzhou. I’ve actually been there! Anyway, what a wild ride!!! I won’t give spoilers but the CHN vs JPN semi-finals. .. YOU NEED TO WATCH IT! At least the highlights. So much drama!! The finals... I was a little disappointed. I thought KOR vs CHN would be a tight battle but . ..

Alrighty, let’s get to the food~

Random flour noodle with choy sum & egg.

The same package of noodle with choy sum & Busan fish cake.

lol you can tell these were my post-night shift meal... I tend to go for simpler stuff, & in smaller portions bcos I eat 6 times when I’m working nights...

Air fryer egg plant. You may think it’s weird.. . but I really like it.

Fettuccine with tomato + vegetarian sausage

Udon with capa cabbage & grey squash. Another one of those night shift stretch meals.

Mom’s air fryer chicken

vs .. my air fryer chicken

*she added Chinese soy sauce to it for a better colour hence why it’s so dark

There were not as good I thought. It’s gotta be the plain Costco fries :P

Thick rice noodles + egg + cucumber, seasoned with Korean tartar sauce & fish sauce (the green cap squid one). This is probably the most randomest thing I ‘put together’ this month haha! Usually the thin vermicelli noodles are used but I used the thick soup kind of rice noodles. Then the combo of tartar sauce + fish sauce... But trust me, it was good!

Using the raclette grill for the 1st time this year

Air fryer ribs with a hamburger bun

A closer look. I used the Montreal steak spice with some extra fresh ground black pepper. Yum~

Sujebi with baby bokchoy, seaweed, white beech mushrooms, & an egg~

Udon with napa cabbage, carrot thins & egg.

May book #1: The Obsession. It was quite an easy read (recommended to me via Chapters recommendation based on my purchase history lol). I didn’t think it was ‘thrilling’ enough for be called a thriller but that’s bcos this is a YA fiction novel so the intended audience is YA. The storyline itself was well thought out but was predictable. I thought the ending was a bit rushed. Read it for relaxation~ I rate it 7.8/10~

May novel #2: Just Haven’t Met You Yet. A rom-com that could easily be made into a movie or drama. I thought the main girl was a pathetic - the type that “I don’t know what I want; my life has been a lie”. You know, the aimless, not driven type of lead that you can’t relate to. Or maybe you can *shrugs* I bought it bcos it begins with “suitcase switch-up” & I thought, “ooooh totally K-drama plot”. I enjoyed it overall; with some slow moments. I really like the main girl’s boss. 8.0/10 (lower than expected)

May novel #3: the Eighth Girl. What a fantastic debut novel by this author~  this novel was very thrilling & dark. It’s about a girl with DID & she goes through things.. . The plot itself is simple to understand but I love twists & novels that make me think. This was one of those. It’s better to start reading without reading up on it so I will leave it here!

K ttyl!!

#food #homemade #homecooking #healthy #dinner #lunch #noodles #fries #air fryer #novels #reading goal

[f1]

Most special race of my career Hamilton calls Brazil 2021 his best race ever as he celebrates 10 years at Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton has called his 2021 Sao Paulo Grand Prix victory “the most special race of my career”, as he reflected on some of the most memorable moments from his 10 years racing for Mercedes. At the time, Hamilton had been embroiled in a tense world championship battle with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, and was trailing the Dutch driver by 19 points with just four races, and the Sprint in Brazil, left to go in the season. READ MORE: Hamilton labels Bottas a ‘great team mate’ as he reflects on 10 years at Mercedes However, after qualifying on pole for the Sprint, Hamilton was disqualified for a DRS infringement and dropped to the back of the grid – with an additional five-place grid drop for the race after Mercedes fitted a new engine on to his car. The Briton then went from last to fifth in the Sprint, before going from 10th to first place in the race, overtaking Verstappen in the closing stages of the Grand Prix to take a much needed victory. “I think for sure my best race ever and probably the most special race of my career," said Hamilton, reflecting on that weekend at Interlagos. "I was so proud to hold this flag on the podium. Growing up I’d always loved Ayrton Senna; I’d watch him when he is carrying a flag. Hamilton and Verstappen were in the middle of a tight title battle “Anyways, I’d qualified on pole, and then I got disqualified for a wing that was 0.02 millimetres out or something crazy like that. I remember in that moment for me, my heart just sunk. "Because I knew that I had to win every race, and I remember in that moment I thought it was over, I can’t win this world championship. READ MORE: Russell teases ‘big changes’ to the W14 after trying developments in the Mercedes simulator “And just with all the work we had done through the year, I just felt so deflated and so powerless. And somehow, it’s been something that I’ve been able to do my whole career, somehow, I was able to move on. “You know what we are going to get there, there is nothing you can do about the past, you move forwards, you can do this. I just stayed in the evening, and just put it aside. I did all the studying, I came back the next day, and I drove from last to first. Hamilton made his way through the field during the Sprint and race in Brazil “And I saw one of the marshals holding the flag, and I stopped and grabbed it. That was just one of the most special moments, when I held the flag up on the podium.” ANALYSIS: Mercedes technical reshuffle part of a wider course correction He added: “It was really just a signal to everyone within Brazil that I acknowledge you, I appreciate you, I appreciate Ayrton and love Ayrton. I always have since I was a kid. I was hoping that I would lift up the nation in some way even though I wasn’t from Brazil, except now I am Brazilian.” Hamilton will now turn his attentions to another Sprint this weekend in Baku, with the Briton currently fourth in the drivers’ championship on 38 points – 31 points behind leader Verstappen. via Formula 1 News https://www.formula1.com

#F1 #‘Most special race of my career’ – Hamilton calls Brazil 2021 his ‘best race ever’ as he celebrates 10 years at Mercedes #Formula 1

[champagnepodiums]

Hi Kate! Hope you're well!

So obviously we've seen that Charles' numbers have been growing pretty consistently. Throughout last season, I believe he beat out Lewis several times in follower gains per race weekend. We know there was a correlation between gains and how well he did that weekend and how poorly Lewis did last season. But now I'm wondering...do you think at some point Charles' could continuously surpass Lewis' gains? Like you've talked about how usually the more followers one has, the less interaction they usually get. Do you think there's a chance that relates to gains in some way too? Obviously it's gonna take Charles a while to catch up to Lewis in followers, but if Lewis doesn't perform well this season and Charles does, you think it's possible? Like Lewis' weekly gain would plateau meanwhile Charles' would be increasing every week (or at least plateau at a higher number than Lewis'). Or do you think since Lewis is waaaay more in the public eye and hangs out with international celebrities way more often, he's always gonna be gaining more (even if not every weekend). Does that make sense? Lol sorry it's late for me and I'm tired but this thought just popped into my head so I wanted to get it out before I completely forgot.

So so you ask a few really interesting things so I'm going to try my best to answer it all (and if I miss something you can always ask again, sometimes I miss things or don't understand fully).

First, you ask about if gains are like engagement where the more followers you have, the lower your engagement is. I actually think it's opposite when it comes to gains, I think the more followers you have, the easier it is for you to gain. I don't have any literature to support that but I think when you have more followers, its more likely that people are going to share your posts and more people see it, repeat forever. But that is just what I have observed.

Secondly, I definitely don't forsee Charles catching up to Lewis in numbers of followers in the recent future, maybe ever. I ran my prediction sheet to see what would happen if Lewis gained 0 followers and Charles gained 25k followers a day through the end of 2024 and with that drastic bit, Charles was still nearly 4.5M followers behind Lewis (and that's if Lewis never gained a single follower again).

BUT I think it's important to remember that Charles did out-gain Lewis in the first half of the 2022 season so it is possible that Charles could outgain Lewis -- especially if Ferrari is a championship contender throughout the whole season and Mercedes is not. What would really be interesting is to see how the gains are if Lewis and Charles are battling each other for the championship.

I hope I covered all of your questions! As always, further questions or clarifications are always welcomed (and appreciated!!)

[slow-button-off]

Idk if you've watched the Italian interviews after quali. I don't remember the exact words but I can sum them up a bit if you're interested.

Mekies said that he had suggested a safe, basic tow strategy, but that Charles and Carlos said "no, wait" and made one together, more risky but more rewarding if done correctly

(he was extra proud; the interviewers said "only some truly exceptional drivers could have pulled off this particular strategy... why did you do it? wasn't it too risky?" and he said, "luckily our drivers are exceptional" 🤪).

Carlos mentioned how people have criticized Ferrari's strategies and lack of teamwork, and that's why today he and Charles went all out.

It's nice to know that Ferrari are starting to listen to criticism. I mean, it wasn't only us fans, but commentators and other team principals as well, people who really know what they're talking about! I still consider it a small miracle because Ferrari is usually so proud and stuck in their ways.

I also think that Carlos is starting to realize that in order to be liked by the Italian audience, you can't be an arrogant prick... especially when compared to Charles who's incredibly humble and self sacrificing.

(But who knows how long this teamwork is going to last...

Without the penalty, Carlos would not have helped Charles, I'm sure. So I don't think that during future races he'll be down to help...)

Vanzini asked Carlos if he's still thinking about the championship, Carlos answered that he's feeling better with the car compared to the first half of the season, and that there's still a lot of time. He also said something that confused me a little:

- he will focus on each race

- he does NOT think he can win the wdc

- but he can still fight for it

(he said something like "vincere no, ma si può ancora lottare" - "not win, but I can still fight" - rn I can't remember the words exactly, but it was close to this)

Sooo... What?

Is he hoping that Charles and Perez will make mistake after mistake and he'll find himself fighting Verstappen?

Idk I was left a bit confused by that last comment.

Hiya!

Thank you, Thank you! 😘

I don't speak Italian... sadly.. I can read it to a certain extent (I guess because I technically know French) But spoken Italian is a totally different beast!

I think it's really cool that the drivers were like "no we are good, we can make the more difficult tow work" and tbf the first time it didn't do all that much I think and the second time it was much better.

In the end the tow wasn't actually needed but still very good to see them work together in this way after everything as of late. And super good that they are paying attention to what people are saying. And that they are actually learning from it! Who would've ever thought that the scuderia would listen.

Without the penalty they might've done a one driver gives a tow on one lap and then the other on the next lap but you usually don't make the drivers sacrifice their own laps in this way if they are actually in qualifying for themselves.

But also I wouldn't blame Carlos for not helping like this if he hadn't had a penalty. He is still very much allowed to compete.

That last part is super interesting! Maybe they have internally decided that Charles is the only one that has a chance to win the championship this season.

Maybe I'm wearing rose coloured glasses after this lovely show of teamwork but I read this as him saying he wants to fight for his position in the standings. And I guess take points off of RB and especially Max because that is equally as important as Charles winning. Charles winning works better for his championship battle if Max is only 3rd and not second. So I want him to mean that!

Again, thank you for the summery and the lovely translation!

#📨