Chapter 2
Race day. Antoine met with Ingrid over breakfast. She looked tired.
“First race weekend making you tired?” He asked.
“I think it’s the adrenaline and jet lag.”
She couldn’t tell him the real reason. Replaying his best friend touching her and whispering in her ear. If Antoine had any idea that she was interested in Erik, she would lose her client on the spot.
“Yes, it’s all go, go, go.”
“How do you feel about today?”
“I’m excited for the first time since I can remember.”
“That’s great! Ok, have we played the worst-case, best-case scenario game before?”
“No,” he said apprehensively.
“Don’t worry.” She chuckled. “It’s actually fun. We start with the worst-case scenario for the day, then move on to the best-case scenario. It lets out the fears and then sets some positive goals.”
“Ok, let’s go. I crash out and die.”
“There we go.”
Antoine carried on with all his worst-case scenarios.
“Ok, now I want to hear best-case scenarios.”
“Obviously, I win the race. Another best-case scenario is a podium.”
“I definitely like the sound of that. Any others?”
Antoine carried on with some smaller goals.
“You were right, this was fun. I think I’m going to use it all the time.”
Daniela joined them, and then they left for the track.
Ingrid wasn’t prepared for the craziness of a race day.
The fans, the crowds in the paddock, the cameras, and the media onslaught.
She was the new focus of media interest because of Antoine’s performance.
All she wanted to do was hide from it all.
Daniela wouldn’t allow her. Another paddock walk.
Ingrid could play this game. According to her brother, her name and position were now being discussed on Sky Sports.
With her other clients, she was able to hide behind the scenes – not at a Grand Prix.
As they walked through the paddock, they passed Erik, his girlfriend, and his media team.
She tried not to look at him, but couldn’t help it.
He smiled at them. Antoine stopped to speak to him.
It was the first time that Ingrid met his girlfriend.
Obviously, Daniela knew her but kept her distance.
Both wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.
“So now you know the type of women he dates,” Daniela said.
“She’s completely made of plastic!” Ingrid exclaimed.
“I know. I think her brain is, too.”
“Wow, that’s bitchy!” Ingrid giggled.
“But true.” Daniela shrugged.
They went to the hospitality area and had some coffee. It was a long day ahead. More media and team briefings for Antoine.
“I’m going to find my smoking spot.”
“Ok, honey, I will see you in a bit.”
Ingrid found her way to the smoking area. She was alone this time. All the team personnel were busy.
“Thought you would be here…”
“Do you skip all your team duties?”
“No, I just make sure that I get them done efficiently and effectively.” Erik came up close to her, and she could smell his cologne. He smelt like sandalwood. “As I said before, I need my quiet time.”
“What about your girlfriend?”
“You met her. Do you think she’s the quiet type?”
“No, not really.” Ingrid kept silent for a bit, then said, “Are you stalking me? We keep meeting up.”
“You forget you found me first.”
“This is true.”
They slipped into silence again. Ingrid lit another cigarette.
“Have you thought about what I can give you in return?”
Ingrid looked around them to see if there was anyone nearby. She put her hand on his chest, leaned up, and whispered into his ear. “There are so many things I thought about if you didn’t have a girlfriend.”
Ingrid had lost her control and focus.
“I wish you would tell me, but I can tell you won’t.”
He rubbed his cheek against hers and came close to her lips. Ingrid just needed to move her head slightly to meet them. She enjoyed the thrill of not doing so.
“Just don’t crash and try to win today.”
Ingrid walked off back to the garage.
Erik was left standing there. He was so turned on and not sure how he was going to focus back at the garage.
Antoine really must love Daniela to be able to work with that woman every day and not lose focus, he thought to himself.
The only way he’d get through the race was to keep her words in his head.
He saw her again on the grid as she was talking to Antoine before the race.
Erik hated grid time. There were too many people.
He escaped to the garage to be alone. Bianca came to him.
“Good luck, baby.” And she kissed him. Erik was irritated because she knew he hated it when she called him that.
“I have to go to the anthem now,” he said. “I think we should talk after I’m done with the race.”
After that, Erik went into race mode. His brain switched off from anything else.
Antoine was completely focused as he listened to the anthem. He went over his goals and felt calm for the first time in months. The adrenaline was going to kick in soon, but that’s what he needed. Daniela and Ingrid were there for him no matter what. It was time to race.
After the first pit stop, Erik was still in the lead, and Antoine was in 4th.
Both had made good starts off the grid. Mark had fallen a bit behind his teammate, and Nico was catching him.
There was no one close to Antoine. He was driving a good race.
Everything was holding together – the car, his mind.
Bonnie was on the radio updating him on his position and times for each lap.
Nico’s teammate, Louis Callipel, had dropped down to 8th place after a poor overtake attempt.
Dunham knew the car was good this year and had the potential to finish on the podium. They just had to get everything right.
Daniela and Ingrid were watching in the garage as Antoine came in for his second pitstop; it was perfect.
He came back out in 4th. This time, he was getting closer to Nico.
Antoine could smell a potential podium, but he just kept going around Albert Park as fast as he could with a calm, clear mind.
Bonnie came on the radio and told him to push because Nico was having trouble with his tyre wear.
Perhaps he could do it. There were six laps to go. He was so close. He could feel him.
Ingrid was watching and holding Daniela’s hand. She squeezed it tighter as the final two laps started. Antoine was getting closer to Nico. A podium was within reach. She hoped for it but was also stressed that something might go wrong and Antoine would be disappointed.
“He’s so close,” Daniela whispered to her.
“I know,” she responded, “but remember the goal was fourth.”
They watched the final lap in silence. Erik had been forgotten in Ingrid’s focus on Antoine. He was still in 1st and about to open his season with a win. Antoine went over the line in 4th, only 0.9 seconds behind Nico. Daniela and Ingrid hugged each other in celebration. Their boy was back.
Antoine:
“Whoa! Thank you everyone! That was the perfect drive.”
Bonnie:
“Well done, hun! You’re back! Almost caught him in the end!”
Antoine was disappointed that it wasn’t a podium, but he knew he could get there. This was just the first race of the season. He went to congratulate his friends after he did his weigh-in.
“Told you, you’d be back,” Erik said to him.
Erik had done his celebrations with his team.
Bianca was there. He hugged her for the cameras, but knew afterwards he would be breaking it off.
The post-race interview had the standard question of whether this would be his year to win the championship.
He responded with his usual frankness, “No one knows what could happen; just look at what happened to Mark”.
Once all the interviews were done, he returned to his changeroom where Bianca was waiting.
“You said you wanted to talk?”
“You’re off to one of your influencer events in Spain, and I’m going to China now. I think it’s time to call it quits. I have to focus on my driving this year, and I don’t need any distractions.”
“I didn’t think last night was a distraction.”
She tried a seductive tone on him.
“It is. I can’t come back from a quali session and have the first thing I do be liking Instagram posts for you.”
“You know, people warned me about you, but I thought we had something different.” The seductive tone had done a 180 to anger.
“It was fun for a while.” He responded calmly.
At this, she picked up the lamp on the table and threw it at him.
“Fun?”
The lamp clipped his forehead.
“Whoa, no need to get violent.”
“You just use women to keep you company and make you look good!” As she pulled out his clothes and threw them on the floor. “You’re a piece of shit, Erik!”
“And what do you use me for? Social media and free holidays?”
“You can fuck off!”
She stormed out of the room on these words.
“Jimmy!” He called for his trainer. “Could you get me a plaster or something?”
“What the fuck?” Jimmy asked, stunned, as he saw the blood trickling down Erik’s forehead.
“Minor incident with Bianca and a lamp.”
Jimmy just laughed, as he’d been around for one or two break-ups before. He patched Erik up.
“You’d just make your life easier if you didn’t date anyone.”
“Now there’s an idea I haven’t thought of before.”
They both laughed because Jimmy knew that Erik hadn’t been single for longer than a few weeks since he entered F1.
???
Ingrid was packing up and getting ready to head to the airport. She was contracted to travel with Antoine for the first three races of the season. Daniela knocked on her door.
“Can I come in?” She asked.
“Coming.” And she let her in.
“I just wanted to say thank you again. As you know, I’m off to the other side of the world for Indian Wells. You’ll take care of him?”
“Of course! Good luck, and you know you can call me if you need someone to talk to. You two have become sort of a package deal.” Ingrid smiled.
“Thanks, my friend.” Daniela hugged her tightly. “Oh, and you’ll never guess who you’re flying with to Shanghai!”
“Who?” Ingrid hadn’t thought about this. She had assumed that Antoine had organised flights for them with an airline.