Anthony (Tony) Edward Stark , The most hated driver and the son of Stark Racing CEO and Team Principal, Howard Stark.
Steve Rogers, the current reigning champ and the son of- some nobody who could barely afford to get his son into a kart.
The two were two sides of the same coin, both destined for greatness, both raised by passionate fathers, however one was passionate with his hands and the other was passionate with his heart, and so, when the two got into formula 1 at the exact same time, on rival teams, a war was destined.
2015
Tony and Steve’s first year in formula one, Steve had signed with Ferrari and Tony had signed with his father’s team, Stark Racing, who for the last ten years had been at one another’s throat for the constructors championship.
Steve was widely loved almost immediately, wether it be for his dashing blue eyes and wispy blonde hair or his sweet smile and reassuring words, the press and fans were at his feet, the American had the Tifosi’s hearts and within a year was deemed an honorary Italian.
Tony was not as quickly widely loved, infact he still isn’t, wether it before because of the fact he drives for his dads team or the snarky way he addresses the media, many fans and the press grew to distaste the young Stark, despite the promise he held.
The debut year was truly only the beginning for the rivals, they were both in great cars with great promise and so it was no surprise when they took 2nd and 3rd, it was unheard of really, for two rookies to take a spot on the podium in their debut race, the last rookie to step on the podium on their debut race was Lewis Hamilton!.
From that day on, the two rookies continued to prove that they were forces to be recognised, especially against one another.
It’s Monaco, it’s a hard enough race but add in two aggressive rookies and you’re begging for an incident and sure enough, one did.
The lights flash from red to off, its lights out, Tony jerks out of his box, weaving his car inbetween Vettel’s and Riccardo’s, he knows Roger’s is right behind him, he can feel his back tensing when he spots him in his mirror, the two were currently in a battle for 3rd in the WDC, every position counts, even if they are only on round 6.
The Sainte-Dévote corner approaches and Tony gets cocky, he sees Roger’s too close behind him (in his own opinion) and decides to move in, trying to block him from the inside but it fails, he smashes right into the side of Rogers.
“What the hell!”
Steve exclaims down his radio, fighting the urge to say a stronger curse!, he tries to get control back, tries to stop himself sliding but it’s pointless, he smacks into the barrier as the words slip past his lips.
Tony curses rapidly under his helmet as he’s left stranded half on track and half stuck to the side of Roger’s car.
“What was Roger’s doing!”
Tony scoffs down his radio, trying to place the blame, he knows it’s his fault, knows he’s in the wrong but he refuses to take blame!.
They both DNF’d and Tony was called to the stewards, receiving a grid place penalty for the next race (this was not his first time pushing somone off track).
Tony would go on to be runner up in the WDC, with Steve taking 3rd, with a single point separating them.
2016
It’s their second year, both teams have once again produced top of the line cars and so it was no a surprise when it was once again another year of battles between the two previous rookies.
While things on track were getting more aggressive, from race crashes to parc ferme arguments, it was a miracle the two managed to score any points at all, but nonetheless they did and eventually they were in the battle for the championship, Steve was leading by a five point gap.
It was the United States Grand Prix, their home race and yet Tony had seemingly been forgotten, Steve was America’s golden boy, you’d think he was some star NFL player or the president! with the way they had him posted everywhere! And Tony was like that one weird cousin no one really talks about…, sure he was on the banners around the track but he was behind Steve, the racing world wasn’t his biggest fan in 2016, probably due to the fact he called them all ‘jealous loser nobodies’ in a moment of rage, when he’d been given a hefty fine for unsportsmanlike behaviour (aka aggressively shoving at Steve time and time again in the cool down room and on the podium) and so he wasn’t really surprised he’d been so pushed aside.
But he was surprised when he took the win and was booed, an entire crowd booing him but cheering on Steve in P2, Tony had been raised to believe that P1 was the only way to be worthy, the only way to earn respect and affection and yet P2 ‘first to lose’ Steve was being cheered!? It had really messed with Tony…
To make 2016 worse, Steve went on to win the WDC, Tony coming 3rd, 5th and 8th in the last three races, ending him as runner up, again!.
2017
Tony came back with a vengeance in 2017, he shut the world out, refusing to do any form of media, he’d spend hours just going over data, hours training, hours watching Steve…
He grew an obsession, a yearning, for Steve… for the WDC!, for what Steve had: love, support and a championship, but there was one thing Steve didn’t have in 2017.
A good car, the stark racing team had brought out their best car in years!, it was miles above every other car they’d made, it secured Tony win after win after win!
But where’s the fun in winning when everyone boos you…?
2017 was a bad year for Tony, he turned to drink, only ever being sober on race weekends which would result in him being as miserable and cruel as ever but no one cared, because no one noticed, no one noticed this new aesthetic he was dawning because it was what everyone had always perceived him as.
Everyone but Steve…
Roger’s was the only one to notice that Tony had changed, only one to notice just how desperately he’d chug at the champion on the podium, only one to notice how Tony was constantly shaking, aching for a drink… it was so clear to Steve, he’d grown up around a father who turned to alcoholism when he felt mistreated (losing his job, when they’d travel half way across the dam world just for Steve to lose, when his marriage ended ect), and so he noticed right away but what could he do? They weren’t friends, they weren’t teammates, they sure all hell weren’t lovers, they were rivals.
Despite his struggles, Tony took home the WDC that year, with a twenty five point gap to Steve, who was the runner up that year, the Ferrari simply didn’t have the pace on the Stark.
2018
Steve dominated 2018!, he took the Ferrari to P1 for almost every single race!, pushing it as hard as he could, it was his way of making up for last year, he refused to let Tony have any year of domination.
And he succeeded, Steve took home the WDC that year, his second one and he was over the moon!, the people’s love for him rapidly growing thanks to how joyful and excited he was in interviews, how he’d gush over Ferrari and their fans, it made him the people’s prince!
Meanwhile Tony took home his 3rd runners up and a more severe drinking problem, cursing out anyone and everyone, disrespecting the legacy his father had built and demolishing any reputation he had, he had become repulsive to the fans and the media
But not to Steve… who was watching an old karting mate fall apart right infront of him.
2019
Steve’s last year with Ferrari, he didn’t know what it was but he just wasn’t able to get to grips with that years car, he was constantly oversteering, struggling just to keep pace, he was barely even touching Tony’s laps.
Tony wasn’t exactly dominating but it wasn’t his worse year, he managed to get enough wins under his belt to secure his second WDC, but he struggled to care…, he was too deep into his love for alcohol, too busy replacing fan love with women from the streets, he stopped caring…
At the end of that year, Steve took home 4th in the WDC and was replaced by Charles Leclerc.
2020-2022
Asking Tony or Steve to speak about 2020-2022 is like asking a mother to choose her favourite child, it simply won’t happen, at least not without a lot of negatives and hurt feelings.
2020 was basically an empty year, Lewis Hamilton took home the WDC, Tony took him seventh and Steve didn’t race, he wasn’t able to find a seat that year and so he spent the year travelling. (If you ask him he’d say that he just wasn’t able to find a seat but in reality, he was struggling watching Tony fall apart)
2021 saw Steve return and the racing world rejoiced, Steve was someone that was filled with so much love for fans and such passion for racing that it was hard to not have him on track and so he joined back in 2021 with Mercedes, however he was only able to sure 4th in the WDC, Tony only able to achieve 7Th, due to numerous DNF’s, Tony had lost his passion…
2022 saw Steve be dropped by Mercedes mid-season in favour of George Russel, leaving Steve without a seat once again and forcing him out of the racing world, it wasn’t that no one wanted him, it was that their was only one team Steve wanted on: Stark Racing
Steve has always been someone who cares so deeply and despite the fact Tony never seemed to want to be his friend, Steve wanted to be Tony’s, wanted to show the world that he wasn’t as cruel as he seemed!, Steve had seen his sweet moments during F3/F2 and during Karting but something had switched during F1, that once sweet kid who just wanted love, had become a cruel cold man, much like his father…
2022 also saw Tony miss out on half the races due to a bad crash during pre-season testing that left him with metal in his chest, resulting in him needing a device in his chest to prevent the metal from moving until it was safe to get surgery on, Tony would call it his ‘arc reactor’ to sound cool, this resulted in him finishing P10 in the WDC while Stark racing finished P2 in WCC thanks to their reserve drivers and their second driver James Rhodes, who secured many podiums without Tony being the main focus.
2023
2023 saw the two biggest shocks to the motorsports world probably ever!, Tony Stark would be banned from all f1 races that year after showing up drunk to testing and hitting a mechanic!, due to this, Steve Rogers was offered his seat at Stark Racing!, the very team he’d been racing against since the start of his career!, Steve practically leaped at the chance though, he knew the car was good, he knew he could get back to where he used to be and so he took the seat, while Tony was forced into rehab.
Steve would go on to win the WDC that year!, sweeping it away from the dominant Redbull before they could even react!.
2024
After many meetings (aka deals to settle how much money Howard would have to bribe them with) the FIA allowed Tony back into F1 under the condition he’d do a drug and alcohol test before every single race weekend, every day from Wednesday-Sunday.
And so James Rhodes was let go from Stark Racing after fifteen years with them, Steve was demoted down to 2nd driver and Tony took his seat back, much to the anger of most of the racing community and Steve!
Unfortunately Tony suffered a bad crash in Monaco and even more unfortunately it was at the hands of Steve, of whom had re-created the Monaco 2015 incident on him.
The crash caused the metal inside Tony to shift, the ‘arc reactor’ no longer holding it off and Tony was forced into surgery to have it removed, he would then miss out on the rest of the races (James Rhodes returning to take his seat for the time being).
Steve would take yet another WDC but filled with heavy guilt.
2025 - current
Tony is back indefinitely, passing numerous health checks (and drug tests) and finally being able to step back into an F1 car.
However, Maria Stark (Tony’s mother and Howard’s wife) had forced Tony to accept one of her rules, he must get along with Steve, so that they don’t risk crashing into one another as much! (Her knowledge of f1 is fairly limited, give her a break).
Howard had been the one to agree, he didn’t want to keep paying Tony’s hospital bills and most definitely didn’t want to have to keep replacing his car and seat.
So now Tony, Steve, Howard and Bucky (Steve’s manager) are all sat in a meeting.
“For every race on the 2025 formula 1 racing calendar, you two will share a hotel room, for every media day this season you two will say at least one nice thing about this other, for every unnecessary slash avoidable crash and or contact this season that you two have, you will lose that amount in pay, you crash three times? There’s three grand gone!, I will not tolerate you two acting like children, we have a good car this year, I want a clean 1-2 for the championship and for every dam podium, am I clear!”
Howard snarls, as always sporting a scowl, especially when he glares at Tony, who instantly squirms.
“Really, they have to say nice things in the media?, come on Howard, that’s childish, it’s Tony who’s the media problem, not Steve”
Bucky remarks, he’s right, it’s Tony who refuses to do Media, it’s Tony who constantly insults the media.
Howard rolls his eyes before rubbing his temples.
“Barnes, don’t be a pain in my ass, Tony will do media this year, he’s been warned and in this media, he will be nice about Steve and as will Steve about him”
Tony scoffs from his chair at his dad’s words, he hates this, these rules are so stupid but he’s doing it for his mom, his lovely mom who’s never once been cruel to him like Howard…, so he’ll do it.
“Fine by me” Tony grunts and looks over at Steve, “what about you, Mr America or should I call you Captain America?, since everyone falls at your feet like a dam army general”
“Yeah they’re fine by me”
Steve mumbles, not commenting on Tony’s stupid remarks
Australia - race one
Tony has almost completely forgotten about Howard’s stupid rule until he checks into his hotel room and Steve is laying on one of the beds.
“Oh yeah, forgot about you”
Tony mumbles and drops his bag onto the bed and lets his two suitcases fall to the floor infront of the door
“Don’t leave your suitcases there, Tony”
Steve mumbles and stands up to pick them up, glaring at Tony as he does so.
Sure Steve has been worrying about him for the last few years but that doesn’t mean he’s going to show it, absolutely not, weakness is the last thing you show infront of a stark.
Tony rolls his eyes and drops down onto his bed next to his bag.
“Why don’t you go book another room? I mean my dad won’t know”
Tony suddenly questions, sitting up on his elbows and watching Steve as he pushes the suitcases into the walk in wardrobe.
“Because unlike you, I follow the roles” Steve remarks, wincing internally at how aggressive he sounds, dammit he’s giving himself whiplash.
“Oh plea-“ Tony starts, about to make a snarky comment about Monaco last year, when there’s a knock on the door
Steve stares at Tony for a few moments before he moves to answer it.
It’s one of the receptions from the hotel lobby, Steve remembers speaking to her.
“Hi, we are so extremely sorry but it appears there’s been a double booking, unfortunately the other people booked it before you…, so we’re going to have to move you, we are truly very sorry!, but the other room is almost the exact same, it just does not have a track view; terribly sorry”
She stumbles over her words once or twice, clearly nervous to be telling two major f1 drivers that they can’t have their room.
Steve smiles down at her “oh that’s fine, we’re on the track all day anyway, would you mind just giving us the key, I’m sure we can find the way ourselves”
Steve as always, is very calm and soothing, not wanting the receptionist to be upset, while Tony feels the need to groan loudly, he just wants to lay down!.
“Of course, here’s your room key, 8518, it’s just down the corridor and to the left”
Steve takes the keys with a slight nod before the woman says a cheery goodbye and disappears down the corridor, Steve turns back into the room, looking at a sprawled out Tony.
“Come on, we’ve got to shift”
Steve mutters, moving to grab his own luggage, he’s glad he procrastinated unpacking, it’s not like him, he’s normally very ontop of things but he just doesn’t have any energy in this heat.
Tony grunts and groans as he picks up his bag and pulls his unpacked suitcases from the walk in wardrobe, and then follows Steve down the corridor to their new room.
However both men gasp when they open the door to reveal a single bed, literally a single, it’s barely big enough for Steve let alone two of them!.
Tony throws a fit, refusing to ‘be treated like this’, saying he’ll phone his dad but Steve immediately brushes him off and simply calls the front desk, they let Steve know that the sofa in the room is a small pull out bed aswell and Steve is somewhat satisfied with that answer, Tony however is not.
He continues to throw his fit over and over again but Steve simply doesn’t listen, instead he begins to set up the single bed for himself, which gathers Tony’s attention.
“Uhm- that’s my bed!?, my dad paid for the room, I get the actual bed”
Tony is quick to snap at Steve, pushing him out of the way of the proper bed and immediately Steve sighs.
“Tony I’m a good foot taller than you, I cannot fit on the sofa bed, you can, I’m sleeping on the bed, end of”
Steve speaks like he’s scolding Tony, pissing Tony off and making himself uncomfortable, he doesn’t know what it is about Tony but he just struggles to regulate and organise him emotions and thought around him.
It’s always been like this though but he at least used to be somewhat decent at hiding and ignoring it.
Surprisingly, Tony lets it go, he doesn’t say anything…
Until later that night, after they’ve been at media all day and just as Steve is about to get into the bed.
“I was nice today Roger’s, I earned the bed”
Tony snarls from where he’s sitting on the bed in his pjs, he’d gotten changed in the room while Steve changed in the bathroom.
“Tony, don’t be annoying, go on the sofa bed”
Steve commands, almost like Tony is dog and again it isn’t necessary, something in Steve just yearns to put Tony in his place.
“No!” Tony yells, he’s always quick to yell, he feels like it’s the only way anyone listens to him.
“Tony!, don’t be a child!” Steve snaps and steps closer to the bed, eyes narrowing in on Tony, who seems seriously angry.
“I’m not being a child., Roger’s, I earned it!”
Tony whines, it’s as if this bed is priceless, Tony has a million other places he could sleep tonight but he chooses to stand his forbid and throw a fit.
“Oh you’re so annoying” Steve snarls and picks Tony up, basically tossing him onto the pulled out sofa bed, earning a squeak like gasp from Tony, who decides to make this week heal for Steve!.
From moving his clothes to taking pillow from the bed, Tony is being as annoying as possible.
Unfortunately on Sunday, Steve’s far too tense and warm to deal with the whiny driver, whom decides after winning and leaving Steve alone in P2, that he’ll just lay down on the bed that Steve has been sleeping on for the last few days.
“Tony, move”
Steve grunts but Tony doesn’t budge, pretending to be asleep already, despite the fact they have literally just stepped foot into the hotel room.
“Tony!, come on, move, I’m too warm for this”
Steve growls, sounding a lot more aggressive than usual be he is genuinely just way too warm and tired.
“No! I won!, I get to choose where I sleep!”
Tony whines and suddenly the bed drips and Tony opens his eyes to see Steve forcing himself into the tiny bed.