ALICE Ch 191

Canadian Grand Prix Qualifying Round Results

1. Flores (Freedom)

2. Alonso (Aston Martin)

3. Sainz (Ferrari)

4. Verstappen (Red Bull)

5. Hamilton (Mercedes)

6. Perez (Red Bull)

7. Norris (McLaren)

8. Mido (FUTA)

9. Pattinson (McLaren)

10. Darcy (FUTA)

11. Woodcock, M. (Williams)

12. Bottas (Aston Martin)

13. Woodcock, S. (Williams)

14. Tanaka (Mercedes)

15. Laakso (AlphaTauri)

16. Ricciardo (Haas)

17. Ocon (AlphaTauri)

DNF Leclerc (Ferrari)

DNF Magnussen (Haas)

DNF Dunham (Freedom)

FF1

Bright lights shine on the simple chair.

Richard Hammond looks comfortable on camera. There’s a lot of gray in his hair, but he still projects a peculiar, boyish energy.

“Racing in the wet,” he says, gesturing animatedly. “Always brings an element of uncertainty to F1. And although I’m a part of it now, I still approach it with the eyes of a spectator. Wet races are the good ones. I still see it that way.” He sucks his breath in through his teeth. “Except now it’s our drivers who are risking their lives. Clarkson says that only speed can overcome the wet. And May says to drive slower.” Hammond cringes slightly. “When I’m the adult in the room, that’s when you know you’ve got trouble.”

“Are you satisfied with the starting positions?”

“Our goal, of course, is to move Williams up the standings,” Hammond replies. “But on a weekend like this, I say we’re lucky not to have wrecked. Williams doesn’t have the budget of Red Bull or Mercedes, but the Woodcock sisters are brilliant drivers. So brilliant that one Christian Horner’s been nosing around.” He looks meaningfully at the camera. “Prat.”

“What about the shape of the season?”

“What? FUTA and Freedom massacring Mercedes and Ferrari and Red Bull? It’s overdue, isn’t it? Much as we all love Lewis, it was dead boring watching him win every week for seven years. And then Max. These new teams are doing God’s work.”

“Do you have any thoughts on the rumors about FUTA being fed up with their engine and possibly considering dumping Honda for Subaru? You have to admit it’s peculiar for them to bring in an unknown Japanese driver when word has it that Alice Wilde is fit to drive.”

“Uknown or not, that new driver’s outdone half the grid this morning. First time in Formula One and she’s starting in the points,” Hammond notes, biting his lip. “I haven’t got any gossip on that one, mate. But half the cars this year have Honda engines. Do we really think Honda’s the problem? Or is FUTA just trying to look as though they’re doing something about the real problem?”

“What’s your read on Glynda Darcy?”

Hammond grins. “She seems lovely. She has characteristics that I admire greatly, and my colleagues agree.”

“What sort of tires will Williams be racing on tomorrow morning?”

“Oh, dear god. I don’t bloody know. That’s May’s department.”