Those Who Wait (Formula 1 - Daniel Ricciardo)

24... From The Darkness

Saturday began well for me with the 3rd best time during the final practice session. I suppose this gave me more confidence in the car, and myself, leading onto my best qualifying to date.

The first round began with both Red Bull cars on the soft tyres, with Dan heading out on track first and setting the fastest time. My own first time of the session slotted in just behind him straight away, only beginning to fall down the order as people started to put the supersoft tyres on. At this point the Mercedes cars seemed to be finding their feet with Hamilton knocking out the fastest time on the board. However almost instantly my time was topping the timesheet again with a time of 1.45.340, more than 4th tenths faster than the current world champion's time. That time held up until the end of the session, Dan finding himself in 4th as we headed into Q2.

I began the first session just as strong as I had ended the last, topping the timesheet straight away. It was bettered by Vettel though this time, with Dan making it into 4th place again before yellow flags halted any faster times being set, Carlos Sainz having crashed into the barriers.

The final session was what mattered though. I already had the tyres I would be starting the race on and I already had a top 10 slot, now all I needed to do was put down an even faster time and hope that it brought me out on top. If I did so it would be another history making day, although I guess I'd already made it one by being the first female driver to top a qualifying session. Dan put down the fastest time of the day so far on his first attempt, setting the pace for the session and going faster than Seb had in Q2. But of course Seb went even quicker, my own time slotting me into 3rd before Kimi managed to bump me down to 4th. After the session we would find out that Seb had gone faster still on his final lap despite being the last car on track. It was almost as if he was proving a point, a point I was sure he didn't have to prove after 4 world titles.

*

After changing into a team polo and denim shorts I found myself sat out on the deck of the Red Bull hospitality area with Dan's parents, taking the opportunity to catch up with them while I had a short break from team and media commitments, unraveling my plaits as we chatted.

"Non," I looked up to see Dan stood behind his father tossing my cap into my lap, a protein shake held in his other hand.

"Cheers," I grinned, putting the hat on over my messy hair. Joe had now swiveled in his seat to greet his son, congratulating him on his front row before Louisa called him away only for Dan to bump into Ted from Sky F1 on his way off the decking.

Turning back to Grace we continued our conversation, mostly consisting of her telling me the rather unsurprising story of how Jess had crashed her car, Millie now also sitting down with us for a few minutes before we needed to leave.

"Noni!" I ignored the sound of my voice being called, for all I knew it was a fan trying to get my attention. Although come to think of it, it did sound rather familiar.

But then I heard it again; "Noni! Yo Scottie!" looking up this time I found myself met by Dan beckoning me over from the concourse side of the low fence.

Apologising to Joe and Grace I wandered over to the edge to see what was going on, finding a large group around Dan including photographers as well as DC, a pair of Aussies I had never met and my grandfather.

"What's up?" I asked, taller than him by a foot or so thanks to the height of the deck.

"Would you come down for a picture?" he asked, the rest of the group looking up at me expectantly.

Shrugging I jogged around down the ramp to join the group slotting myself into the picture between Dan and Sir Jackie. The photographers eagerly snapped away, a thousand light bulbs flashing infront of my face. Moving apart Dan had a few shots with the two Aussies who turned out to be Mike Doohan, the moto GP racer, and the minister for sport, tourism and major events in Melbourne.