ALICE Ch 108

“The race is on in Baku!”

Erica Bruhl leans forward, holding her water bottle tightly in both hands. She’s in the Mercedes pit, watching the broadcast with the crew. The crowd and the engines roar outside. It’s warm and dry; the air smells like rubber.

“Verstappen away! Bunching up into turn one! Carlos Sainz attempting a cheeky overtake and Faye Darcy defends on the inside!”

Erica chews her lip. Baku can be a dangerous circuit because of its hard turns and long straights.

“That was contact between Sara Pattinson and Charles LeClerc! There’s a bit of wing off Pattinson’s car! Lost momentum for Bottas, but he’s quick to correct and the hopes of Sissy Woodcock are dashed!”

“Ocon is off at Turn 10! It’s not clear if that’s engine trouble or what exactly, but now Danny Riciardo has overtaken both Williams drivers and has his sights set on Bottas! Charles LeClerc is going to pit for a new wing! That’s Lando Norris past Hamilton, phenomenal driving, not DRS there, mate. Norris wants Sainz and he’s not taking no for an answer.”

FF1

“Something’s wrong,” Alice says.

“You have to defend, Alice.” Lora sounds calm and soothing, as always.

Alice is defending. She has read Val’s intentions twice and fended her off, but that doesn’t matter at turn nineteen. She can’t use up her tires; she brakes and takes the turn, knowing exactly what will happen.

Val is past in a flash.

“Alice, you have to push.”

The car is running rough.

“If I push, bad things are going to happen,” Alice says through gritted teeth. There’s glare and the wheel shakes painfully in her hands as she struggles to maintain control of the car.

“OK, you are half a second behind Flores,” Lora says.

“That is not important right now.”

“You have to push.”

“That is not an option.”

“Alice!” Alice actually flinches at the ferocity in Glynda’s voice as she shouts over Lora. “Drive the bloody car!”

FF1

Kylie sits on her bed at the hotel, feet crossed at the ankles, watching the race.

“Fernando Alonso would love to fight Checo, but Valeria Flores is not having it! Faye Darcy into P5, and that looked rather smooth. Was that orchestrated? And just like that! Carlos Sainz is past Alice Wilde!”

“Lando and Lewis are fighting and Lewis will defend his position nicely, and now the Mercedes driver has his eye on Faye Darcy. Less than a one-second gap. Lewis Hamilton has been steadily gaining pace throughout this race and we have quite a few laps to go! Oh dear! Alice Wilde is headed for the pit lane. That looks like a retirement. We’ll get details shortly, but meanwhile, Fernando Alonso holding off Valeria Flores by the skin of his teeth!”