A woman in Formula 1 was something that everyone believed they didn't want. "Take part in the W series" is what always echoed, as though they wished to show that they wanted women when they didn't. Then again, they'd never been introduced to Robyn S...
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Robyn Saunders was not happy.
Robyn had only managed four laps of qualifying when her cut out, she was sure she would start from last on the grid but, luckily in some way, she ended up P16. She had been knocked out in Q1...that hurt. It was a team decision, nothing to do with Robyn's driving, but it didn't matter. Every loss was a loss, no matter how it happened.
"Don't take it to heart," Lewis assured her. "These things can happen."
"It shouldn't though," Robyn groaned. "Now I have to climb fourteen places to even to have a chance."
"If you get into the points, that's still a win," Lewis reminded her.
"To some degree but in reality, it still doesn't sit well with me," Robyn replied. "P5 and above, I'll accept...I know it's a team sport but if everything was down to my driving, I know I wouldn't be starting in P16."
"Most of the drivers on the grid would say the same," said Lewis, humblingly.
Robyn nodded as she took a sharp breath in. There was no reason she couldn't have a comeback today. She was confident; she had slept; she had trained; and she knew she would be heading home after this race.
If Robyn were honest with herself, she would adore having a trophy from every race this season. She had a very unique contract, unlike a lot of the other drivers. Robyn was allowed to keep the trophies she earned for her first season. After that, if she kept her seat, it was likely that she'd only be allowed replicas and the team would keep them. Helmets, on the other hand, were something that Robyn was allowed to keep, as were most the drivers.
The team meeting was especially tense as they knew the position they were in. They were preparing for little points but everyone knew they were relying on the drivers to make no mistakes — as they often did — and play the strategy just right.
Like all drivers, Robyn had a ritual before every race. Her ritual included putting on a pair of noise-cancelling headphones and listening to electronic music for around 5-10 minutes. It was slightly strange compared to other rituals but it got her into a 'vibe mood' as she would tell George, which gave her the best racing mind.
Not to mention, Ashley was always slightly offended that Robyn didn't consider her music worthy enough to listen to before the race. Of course, for Robyn, her sister's music just didn't meet what she needed. Ashley was a pop singer.
