ALICE Ch 249

“I can’t hold it,” Alice says as Danny Ricciardo passes her. The power is only half the problem; there’s also understeer that wasn’t there in practice or qualies.

“I understand, Alice. Do your best to defend.” To her credit, Glynda is doing an excellent Lora impression. Very motherly and soothing. Most importantly, she doesn’t sound dejected.

She should, though. Alice is on track to finish in P20 if she keeps losing positions. Well, maybe not. Mio’s right behind her now, and Mio’s just as slow as she is on the straights.

But there are still thirty laps to go, and Alice has absolutely nothing to lose.

“There’s one way,” she says. “I’ll need Mio’s help. Let me talk to her.”

“What?”

“Put me through to Mio,” Alice says, and she feels something in the car. Fernando clipped Bottas at this corner a few laps back. The debris is very minor, but it doesn’t take much.

“Alice, that simply isn’t done.”

“You got something to lose I haven’t heard about?” Alice asks.

There’s a brief silence, and Alice’s heart stops as she hurtles recklessly into the turn. She’s losing Danny Ricciardo. She keeps her voice calm.

“Glynda, there isn’t much time. We can make a move now, or there won’t be anyone left to pass, and we’ll never catch up. Let me talk to her.”

FF1

“And here we go again! She won’t quit! Alice Wilde is attacking. This will be the third time that she’s overtaken Danny Ricciardo only for him to simply retake the spot on the next straight! Oh, dear god!”

Erica Bruhl drops her water bottle, and folding chairs clatter as the Mercedes pit crew reacts. Rather than safely holding back, Mio has overtaken Danny as well, directly on Alice’s tail. They nearly forced him off the track.

“Oh, that is so dangerous! What I’d give to hear FUTA comms now!” the commentator babbles. “And they’re on the straight, but Danny can’t get by! They’re boxing him out! This looks coordinated! Meanwhile, Valeria Flores is fighting Fernando Alonso for second, but she can’t find the line! On McLaren comms, Lando Norris is losing pace, cause unclear. And in the rear, Akiko Tanaka on notice because Alice Wilde and Mio Mido are coming, and it would appear that they plan to take her lunch money! Danny Riciardo forced to defend against Esteban Ocon in turns six and seven, this is where all of the danger has been during this Grand Prix, and that does not appear to be changing.”

The commentators are beginning to catch on, but Erica Bruhl already has. She’s on her feet, her bottle leaking on the floor as she stares in childlike wonder at the TV. No. Maybe she’s imagining this. She clasps her hands and squeezes, shifting back and forth like an anxious kid. The next lap will tell the tale.

The broadcast shifts to FUTA comms.

“OK, Mio. Here we go. Nothing matters. What can be broken, should be broken.”

“What?” Mio replies.

“Some Russian said it. What? You haven’t heard that one? Maybe you should hook up with more Russian ogle larks,” Alice says. “I know, it’s fucked up pillow talk, but I was trying to be polite, so I just listened. Now! Get fucked, Mercedes!”

Erica covers her mouth. They’re really doing it; Alice’s words are much less outrageous than her actions. Less than a meter apart, Alice and Mio ruthlessly power through the Sector One turns, where their lack of top speed doesn’t matter. Tanaka gets out of the way because she doesn’t want to die, and she won’t retake that place unless one of the FUTA drivers makes a mistake.