[Lex Pov]
Max and I lingered in Zandvoort for a few extra days, enjoying each other's company before our departure to Spielberg for the upcoming race. We needed to make some last-minute decisions on the setup and try out the new update they were proposing.
The Canadian Grand Prix was looming on the horizon, and soon after, it would be time for our home race in Spielberg itself. The pressure from the Red Bull Fans was on!
As we boarded the plane to Canada, Max and I found ourselves side by side, sharing quiet moments of conversation and stolen glances. Despite our closeness, there was still an unspoken tension that I couldn't quite shake off. I still hadn't told him that I loved him.
I had planned to, but whenever I meant to say it, something came up or we were interrupted by a buzzing phone, a waiter, someone ringing the doorbell, or just general noise from outside.
We arrived at the track separately, each focusing on our own preparations for the race ahead. We chose not to speak too much, or touch, or kiss while on track. Nobody needed to know about us. Not yet anyway.
Qualifying day arrived, and I pushed myself to the limit, determined to secure the best possible starting position for myself. Max seemed to have an issue with one of his breaks overheating again, which meant his one push-lap wasn't quite enough for pole. That position went to me.
It didn't matter much. We would both start from the front row. None of the other drivers had managed to get even remotely close to mine or Max's time.
I was excited for the race! I wanted to drive and win (preferably), but I was most excited to race in Canada, where I hadn't been before.
However, as the race day unfolded, it became apparent that fate had other plans for me.
Midway through the race, I felt my car losing power, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of my stomach. By lap 20, it became clear that my race was over as I was forced to pull into the pits, my hopes of a podium finish ruined.
Even though I knew that the DNF was no fault of my own, the disappointment still cut deep. My race engineer patted me encouragingly on the shoulder.
"Next time," he said and I nodded.
Despite the setback, I couldn't help but cheer as I watched Max secure the victory for himself.
***
Two weeks later, as we returned to Spielberg for the race, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled over me. Despite my best efforts to stay focused and optimistic, misfortune seemed to follow me like a shadow.
Maybe I had manifested it with my negative thoughts, but disaster struck once again during the race as my front wing came loose and detached itself. It slid underneath my front tires, causing extensive damage to the car's floor and punctures to both front tires.
I pulled over to the side, but the incident effectively ended my race in yet another DNF.
As I watched Max claim another victory, a bittersweet mix of emotions washed over me. While I was genuinely happy for his success, I couldn't help but wonder where this relentless string of bad luck was coming from.
Doubts began to creep into my mind. I always thought that my time at VisaCashApp RB was plagued by bad luck... Or was there something inherently flawed in my approach or performance that was causing these recurring setbacks? No other driver seemed to have that much trouble with their car... Not even Charles Leclerc and he was famous for his bad luck. After all, hadn't his now wife nearly been killed in a garage fire during the last season? But no... This year seemed to go fine for him... and everyone else... besides me.
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Online Rivals, Offline Lovers
FanfictionMax Verstappen loves iRacing, even though he rarely finds a worthy opponent online. When he then gets squarely beaten by a girl called Lex, he can't let her go. So he makes a bet and loses. Now he is her teacher and has to teach her how to race a re...
