ALICE Ch 124

Miami Grand Prix Results

1. Verstappen, M (Red Bull)

2. Norris, L (McLaren)

3. Wilde, A (FUTA)

4. Flores, V (Freedom)

5. Darcy, F (FUTA)

6. Hamilton, L (Mercedes)

7. Sainz, C (Ferrari)

8. Bottas, V (Aston Martin)

9. LeClerc, C (Ferrari)

10. Perez, S (Red Bull)

11. Woodcock, S (Williams)

12. Alonso, F (Aston Martin)

13. Pattinson, S (McLaren)

14. Dunham, P (Freedom)

15. Woodcock, M (Williams)

16. Ocon, E (AlphaTauri)

17. Laakso, K (AlphaTauri)

18. Magnussen, K (Haas)

19. Tanaka, H (Mercedes)

20. Ricciardo, D (Haas)

FF1

Bright lights shine on the simple chair.

Will Buxton wears an expression of profound satisfaction.

“Brilliant,” he says. “Absolutely brilliant. Have you any idea how long it’s been since we’ve had a Constructor’s Cup that looked like this, even so early in the season? The point distribution is spectacular.”

Constructor’s Cup Standings, as of Miami:

1. Red Bull 147

2. Freedom 67

3. Aston Martin 65

4. FUTA 58

5. Ferrari 54

6. Mercedes 53

7. McLaren 37

8. Williams 12

9. AlphaTauri 10

10. Haas 2

Buxton goes on. “Now, this is a proper racing season. FUTA. Freedom. Aston Martin. Ferrari. Mercedes. All of them are in contention for second. All of them bringing home good points. Magnificent. And despite all the controversy, Alice Wilde takes her second career podium with a faulty car while FUTA’s second driver also pulls her weight.” Buxton snaps his fingers. “Things can turn on a dime in this sport, and Glynda Darcy’s no-good, very bad week has certainly turned around. You can bet that Irina Orlova and Voskhishchat were watching with smiles on their faces. Meanwhile, Mercedes is really struggling along with Sergio Perez. Aston had a very real chance to pull ahead here, squandered by the hubris of Fernando Alonso. Right now, this season is absolutely defined by the battle for second. We have legacy teams **** to show that they can stay competitive in the face of the new, and new teams eager to make a splash. What a thing it would be if one of these new teams, Freedom or FUTA, was to take second in the Constructor’s Cup. Extraordinary.”

FF1

Alice takes deep breaths as the Dutch national anthem plays. Her nose itches but she can’t scratch it in the soupy Miami air. There’s no breeze on the podium. Only the music and the sweat and the eyes of an awful lot of people. She wants to throw up. She keeps her eyes forward as Max accepts his trophy and medal. She’s startled when it’s her turn. She should be happy to be up there at all. She should be relieved that she managed to fight off Val, which is a genuine miracle.

Instead, she’s pissed. She’d been gaining on Max steadily. A tenth of a second here and there. This was her Grand Prix. It should’ve been hers. Her teeth grind until her jaw aches.