Qatar GP, excited reporters ... and the end of the season is approaching quickly
Cisca and Oscar took their pick-up for Marseille an hour after the race, Oscar on the phone with Lando before he had his meeting. They had booked a balcony suite with two bedrooms, Oscar didn’t even know those existed. They enjoyed their time and the sun the further south they got, getting massages and Oscar read a lot, laying on the balcony or on the sun deck, they both were not in the mood for a lot of sightseeing while stopping. For Oscar, it was a matter of transport only. They would travel back on a cruise as well, but then together with Lando, Max, Charles and Penelope.
Lando had arrived the night before, Oscar entering their suite and seeing him still asleep, as most of the time without a shirt, no nest built, which made Oscar a little sad. It looked like he tried to pile up some pillows around him, though. He laid down next to Lando, softly calling his name and stroking through his hair.
“Good morning” Lando mumbled, not opening his eyes “I missed you” he said, grabbing for Oscar and pulling him close, suddenly opening his eyes. “It feels like you grew two months.” And Oscar chuckled.
“No, just 9 days, but I know what you mean. I feel like I’m gaining a pound a day and even the shirts I bought because I thought they were wide enough, are tight around the bump now.” Oscar giggled.
“That is absolutely fine, then we’ve at least got all the attention on us. Maybe you should wear an Eighty1 shirt now, you would look like a huge billboard.” Lando said and earned an unamused look from Oscar. “I’m going to pay for that, won’t I?”
“Oh, definitely.” Oscar said.
“I’m going to take a shower first.” Lando said, gave Oscar a kiss and went into the bathroom while Oscar pulled out his phone.
The practices went well and Lando qualified on pole, followed by Logan, Max, Charles and Daniel.
Lando heard a knock on the door, about ten minutes before their pick-up to the race.
“Hey“ he greeted Zak.
“Hi, Is Oscar here?”
“Of course” Lando said, turning around and Oscar already walked up to them.
“I brought your order” Zak said with a way too wide smile and Oscar pulled out his phone, starting to video.
“What’s happening?” Lando asked confused.
“This is your shirt for the day” Zak said, still smiling widely, holding up a little bag.
“What did you guys do?” Lando asked, pulling the shirt out.
“You said you would pay for it. This is the way you will pay for it.” Oscar said with a smirk.
“Oh dear” Lando said, looking at the shirt, displaying an Eighty1 logo and some text underneath.
“Put it on, rude boy.” Zak said and they made their way to the paddock.
Pierre and Max saw them coming in and broke out into laughter, the cameras around them clicked like crazy.
'I support Eighty1 – and I wear this shirt, because I told my pregnant mate he would look like a huge billboard wearing it' Lando's shirt displayed.
“This is amazing, Oscar!” Max yelled through the paddock, now getting all the attention on Lando.
The pregnant Oscar was a bigger attraction that day than the race itself.
“Why are you so nervous?” Sebastian asked Lance, who had started wringing his hands.
“If – if I do this right, these last races I mean, I could finish in the top 8. I know, I know, that doesn’t sound like much, being fifth, but … for me, that would be” and Lance just made a hands motion like his head could explode.
“Hey, okay, that’s true” Sebastian said, taking Lance’s hands in his “but you need to concentrate on this race only now. Not on the overall. Give your best for this race, nothing else. Stay focussed, without focus, the target is out of reach.” Sebastian said calmly.
There were no yellow flags this time. It was a clean race, some close calls during overtakes in between, but other than that, a clean one. Lance finished in fifth, directly behind George. It would get tight in the top 5. Lando, Max and Logan were on the podium, Charles, Lewis, Esteban, Pierre and Yuki completing the points.
“What a year it has been, one rollercoaster after another.” Brundle excitedly started his report before the final race “SO many positions in the driver’s championship are still open, the only ones set in stone being Lando Norris, already winning the championship in Brazil, Max Verstappen in second, an almost 100-point gap to Lando, another 120 to the next, currently Logan Sargeant. Who is not safe in third yet, being 18 points ahead of Carlos Sainz who is currently without a seat for next season, only 1 point behind is Charles Leclerc, so there is nothing decided within Ferrari either. The next group we’ve got fighting are Lance Stroll, currently in sixth, fighting to keep his spot, but both Daniel Ricciardo and George Russell STILL have the chance to pass him and push him back into 8th. Russell himself is not safe in his current eighth, either, having Yuki Tsunoda only 22 points behind him, so for the unlikely chance of a Tsunoda win, he could surpass him. Tsunoda himself though is in competition with his current team mate Oliver Bearman with a 23-point gap, although again, also really unlikely, but not impossible. Bearman HIMSELF has Esteban Ocon by now only 9 points behind him, so there is a definite risk of him slipping out of the top ten. The now retired Sergio Perez in between them in current 11th. Ocon has a little gap with an unlike catch-up from Alex Albon, 20 points behind him, who himself is in a bitter fight with Lewis Hamilton and a 1-point gap. If this isn’t enough for you yet, we’re getting to the rest of the field, where anything and EVERYTHING is possible. Fernando Alonso currently has 20 points, Pierre Gasly 13, Valtteri Bottas has 12, followed by Nico Hülkenberg with 8. Liam Lawson has 6, currently sharing his spot with Kevin Magnussen who is here as a guest today, the last follow-up, but definitely not without chance is Zhou Guanyu, counting 2 points, meaning anything is possible in the back field, he could stay in 21st, perfectly best scenario with a win, he could even make it up to 15th, Nicholas Latifi, currently the only active driver to count no points is also still able to catch up a couple of places, if we’re thinking about a perfect life. We called 2021 a crazy season, but THIS?! REALLY?!” Martin was jumping around in front of his screen, pointing out the drivers in their standings, behaving like a maniac “We also have huge changes coming up after this season, Logan Sargeant’s permanent switch to Redbull already done, all the others are signed, 6 drivers changing teams, including Fernando Alonso coming back and joining Aston Martin, there is still NO official statement about the open RB seat next to Daniel Ricciardo, or the open seat at Haas, a lot of rumours running around the paddock, all kinds of assumptions being made, I’m not going to go into that, it would just take too long. A team is getting sold, four drivers retiring, three of them already did, Nyk de Vries being fired from RB, Perez and Magnussen having to step out for health reasons, Latifi retiring and leaving the racing world entirely, God will the Goatifi be missed.” Martin continued, keeping his excitement.
“Somebody should give him a sedative.” Logan said, turning off the tv.
“I think he’s too hyped up to make that work.” Esteban said, hugging him. “One last race, then we’ve got a break.”
“Yeah, we can breathe, you can watch over the work on your new building in Zurich.”
“My parents coming to visit, we’ll go to the Christmas markets.”
“You do realize, this will make us living together, like … long term for the first time.” Logan said, kissing Esteban.
“We lived together before.”
“Yes, but only like … ten days, always knowing that we will have to go, half packed. Now it’s like … four weeks, a day for a shooting in between.” Logan said.
“Are you scared of that?” Esteban asked.
“A little bit.” Logan admitted “I never lived together with someone. But on the other hand, … so many things happened this year … I’m driving not only in F1, but for Redbull of all teams, I have a boyfriend I’m in love with, I have friends, an appartement, I’m building a little portfolio, I even have a loan. Even though it’s with a friend, it counts. Now all I need to do is plant a tree and then I’m a grown man!”
“Plant a tree?” Esteban laughed.
“Yeah, I read it somewhere, you know, of things you do as an adult. I have everything else. Oh no, I don’t, I didn’t buy a car. And I need to plant that tree.”
“I think you don’t need to buy a car, as you’re getting it free with your work, but I’m sure you’ll find a way to plant a tree.” Esteban said and kissed him.
“I need to take some churros.” Oscar said, packing his backpack for the race.
“You already have two packages and don’t worry, there are another two in my room at the hospitality.” Lando said “and we’ve got apricots there as well.”
“Okay, that should be fine.”
“One last race, on Monday we’ll be on the cruise and then enjoy some alone time!”
“In Max’s guestroom as our appartement is under renovation.”
“Yes, but only next week, we’ll stay with Max over the weekend to let the paint smell out and then we’re ready to go.”
“I can’t wait to buy baby stuff!” Oscar exclaimed with a smile.
“Shouldn’t we buy pregnancy stuff first?” Lando asked.
“We’ll buy both.”
“For the four of you.” Lando laughed.
“For the five of us. I’m not doing all this shit alone.” Oscar smiled.
“Five, my God. If I’m thinking that I didn’t even know you a year ago … now I have a life, full of people and everything.”
“Full of people” Oscar laughed “You are the reason I’m full of people.”
23-Qatar
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