Chequered Flag | FORMULA ONE (COMPLETED)

CHAPTER TWELVE

T: We're fitting you with wets. There's too much precipitation outside.

M: Copy that. When am I going out?

T: Anytime you're ready.

I carefully adjusted myself in my seat to get as comfortable as possible, and I looked around the car setup to ensure everything is where it should be.

M: Ready to rock and roll, Tayla.

The mechanics pulled off the tyre covers, and I drove onto the pit straight, stopping the car at the end there. I let my engine rev high, and dumped the clutch in second gear. Although first gear was the way to go, it's a little too torque-y and I might spin my car in the wet as a result.

I did a perfect launch in the wet and proceeded to achieve a perfect lap. I tested the track limits, running as wide as possible whenever I could. I braked as late as possible into some corners, and practised overtaking cars, although in most cases there weren't any cars there, I just pretended there were and went ahead.

I did a few good laps, and Tayla kept me up to date with the scoreboard. I was consistently staying in P3, which was good, even when I got pushed down I always climbed back up the next lap. Ember was out too and she consistently scored P2s, which I found amazing. I genuinely felt proud for her.

I was on my final lap on these tyres, when a yellow flag came out in sector 2. Damn it, I have to slow down now.

M: Who is it?

T: Ember and Tsunoda had a crash at turn 6 and 7. Watch out.

M: Is she okay?

T: Not confirmed. Will update you when we get some info.

I slowly drove along the long left handers of turn 4 and 5, until I saw two cars in front beside the track. One of them upright, the other flipped. The car with 4 wheels on the ground was an AlphaTauri, which could only mean one thing...

"Ember!"

I immediately stopped my car right before the crash site. I unbuckled and jumped out of my seat, sprinting towards the overturned Haas.

"Ember," I called as I reached the side of her car. "Are you okay?"

She nodded her head. And I breathed a sigh of relief. I helped her out of the car with Yuki assisting me at the side. We lifted Ember out of her car in no time.

"Thanks, Mick, Yuki."

"You're welcome."

As the marshals came to clear the track, I led Ember and Yuki to my car. I told them to hang on tightly to the halo and sit on the bodywork. I then gave them a little ride back to the garage.

"Sorry for hitting you, Ember," apologised Yuki as we reached the pit lane.

"It's fine, racing's like that," Ember assured him.

Yuki jumped off the car as we approached the AlphaTauri garage. He then bowed at us before returning to his team.

After I parked my car at the team garage, I accompanied Ember to the makeshift clinic at the trackside. Although the team asked me to stay and continue driving once the red flag was over, I insisted on staying with Ember.

I knocked on the door. "Hello?"

The doctor looked up from her book. "Hi, how can I help you?" She held her hand and I shook it. "I'm doctor Katherine Echo by the way."

"Ember here just had a crash on track, so could you help check if she injured anything?"

Doctor Echo nodded, and took out a notebook and a pen and started scribbling little words that I can't understand. She then asked Ember a series of questions about how she feels and so on.

After that, she needed to bring Ember to a checkup room. The worst part is I couldn't follow her, so I just had to wait here.

For the whole duration of Ember's checkup, I was scrolling through my social media page. Nothing too exciting that caught my attention though. Thankfully it wasn't long before Ember was done with her checkup.

"Nothing serious," Dr Echo mumbled as she scribbled notes on her notebook. "She just sprained her wrists." After she had finished writing, she put her pen down and looked at us.

"What do we do now?" I asked.

"Do you want to race tomorrow, Ember?" She directed the question towards Ember, and Ember gave her a nod.

"Alright. If so, I'll let you have this glove-cast mechanism to put on your hand. It will restrict wrist movements and ensure a more speedy recovery," Dr Echo offered as she made her way to the storage compartments at the corner of the room. "Though I discourage you to go on track if you feel uncomfortable tomorrow. It's best if you wait for it to recover."

Ember and I nodded our heads in acknowledgement.

Soon, Ember got her glove thing, and we were out of the clinic.

"Are you sure you want to race tomorrow?" I questioned.

"Of course, my hand doesn't hurt as much as you think, Mick," Ember assured. "Don't worry, I'll make it work tomorrow." She tiptoed and quickly gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"You always do." I smiled.

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