Third Person POV:

October 9th 2022

Suzuka International Circuit, Japan

The anticipation is high as the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka approaches. Max Verstappen, with a substantial lead, has a chance to clinch the World Championship with four races to go. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc, Y/N, and Sergio Perez are fiercely competing for the runner-up spot

As the day of the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka unfolds, an unexpected factor comes into play... the rain. The rain showers create a challenging situation for the teams and drivers, delaying the start of the race and making the red flags come out

Y/N puts on his McLaren team hoodie and heads back to his garage. Hailee was there too, showing her support after missing a couple of Grand Prix due to some schedule conflicts back in Hollywood

They chill a little bit when Devon Butler walks towards him, probably to annoy him

Y/N: Sorry mate, Ferrari engine users are banned in this garage. We're all about that Mercedes power here...at least for the time being.

Devon: Just passing by to say that I signed my contract extension with Haas earlier today. Father of the year Mick, however...yikes. I think he's in the hot seat. Don't worry, though. I think  Hulkenberg is coming back next year to take his place...tough luck, huh?

Hailee places a hand on Y/N's chest in order to calm him down

Hailee: Easy there. Let him talk.

Devon: Anyway, good luck out there. You might need it more than ever.

Y/N scoffs

Y/N: Remind me, Devon, who here is driving a shitty car on a shitty team being last in the constructors' championship?

Devon: You and I both know that if I had a better car-

Hailee, tired of his talking, shuts him out completely

Hailee: Oh God, so many "what ifs". When are you going to be a better driver and stop blaming your own car?

Y/N raises an eyebrow, surprised at Hailee's boldness

Y/N: I think your time here is up...mate.

Devon smirks at Hailee's comment but doesn't respond. Instead, he turns and walks away, leaving Y/N and Hailee to prepare for the race ahead

Hailee: Are you...sad about Mick? The rumours and all?

Y/N: It's a tough situation. Mick is a great guy and a talented driver. But one bad year with the team can be enough. And that's unfair with him, 'cause he scored some points for them this year...more than Butler. Gosh...Haas are just a bunch of wankers.

Hailee: Well, let's hope things turn around for him. In the meantime, focus on today. You've got a race to win.

Y/N: Absolutely. Time to get back in the zone. And hope Max gets unlucky. 

Just as Y/N was heading back to his car, Hailee tells him something important

Hailee: Oh, and by the way, Flo is coming to watch the race. She was in Tokyo doing some press conferences for Don't Worry Darling yesterday, so I gave her a paddock pass. Also, her and Zach just broke up. So I thought you might introduce her to some of your friends here...like Carlos.

Y/N: We can play matchmaker after the race, okay?

He winks before getting in his car and heading back to the grid

On pole was Max after setting a spectacular lap on yesterday's qualifying, Charles on second, Y/N at third, Sainz at fourth and Perez to close the top 5

The lights go out, and the cars roar to life. The race is on

"It's lights out and away we go! Max Verstappen gets away well, but not as well as Charles Leclerc on the inside...and Sainz hits the back of Y/N Specter's car and he goes off! Carlos Sainz is out of the race!"

Y/N, after being hit by Carlos Sainz, finds himself off the track, losing valuable positions in the early moments of the race

Y/N: AH FUCK! SHIT! 

Y/N's frustration echoes over the team radio as he reacts to the incident with Carlos 

Rob, his engineer, calms him down

Rob: It's a long race...you'll get them.

After an early stop to change his front wing, Y/N takes advantage of the safety car and comes back as 16th, just behind Devon's car

Much to Y/N's luck, a red flag was brought on and the race was suspended for the time being

https://youtu.be/4Xgv_bi7iYk

A couple of minutes later, the race resumes under a moving start

In the McLaren garage, Hailee watches with anticipation, her focus unwavering as the race unfold

Y/N's frustration grows as the challenging weather conditions persist. The combination of heavy rain and the spray kicked up by other cars makes visibility a significant issue for the drivers

Y/N: Can't see a damn thing around here.

Rob: Try removing your visor tear-off.

Rob: Okay, so there are no more laps. It's a time race. So you got 40 minutes to give it your best. We have one more stop and that'll be out final stint.

As Y/N's competitive spirit ignites, he maneuvers skillfully, overtaking Butler with a swift and calculated move. As he speeds past, he can't resist the opportunity to show his feelings, so he cheekily flips Butler off

Y/N: Suck my dick, you cocky motherfucker! I hope they fire your ass because you're such a shitty pilot.

Rob: Cooler heads prevail, Y/N. You got him. Now on to the next one and stay calm and composed.

Y/N's words were replayed in the official transmission, of course with a lot of beeps to censor him

"Y/N Specter...oh boy, that's quite a mouthful what he had to say to Devon Butler."

"They go way back, don't they, Crofty?"

After stopping to get some fresh tires, Y/N comes back to the track at 15th place with an agressive pace, ready to storm the entire field

Meanwhile, Mick, who stayed out and managed to stay in the lead for some laps, is losing positions really fast due to the lack of pace of the Haas

Y/N's blistering pace showcases his determination as he quickly climbs up the ranks, reaching 11th place. With George Russell ahead, he sets his sights on making a move, navigating the challenging 130R corner

Y/N: Deep breaths...

Y/N overtakes Russell in a brilliant move in that difficult corner

"Oh my word! Y/N Specter just overtook George Russell on the outside of 130R in the wet! Brilliant move by the rookie."

As the race progresses was struggling with his current pace. At 8th place, Y/N was finding it difficult to at least catch up to fourth place, which was what he wanted

To make matters worst, he couldn't hear his engineer or other members of the McLaren F1 team due to an electric failure. So his team could hear him, but he couldn't hear his team

Y/N: I can't hear you guys! If you have anything to say, go to the wall and bring a sign!

"Martin, looks like Specter is having a little trouble on the radio"

As Y/N makes his way to the main straight, he sees that a team member has a sign saying "PUSH IT!"

Y/N: Now we're talking...

With that, Y/N changes the settings of the car on the steering wheel, putting the car on its maximum capacity

On the pit wall, Zak Brown, McLaren's CEO looks at Andreas Seidl, the team principal with a concerned look

Zak: She could come apart.

Andreas: Only one way to find out.

Lap 28, 0:00 minutes left

Max Verstappen crosses the line first, crushing the opposition with 25 seconds ahead of Charles, who was at second place, but being hunted down by Perez, who was right at his rear wing. Y/N, with a brilliant overtaking masterclass, was approaching them as well at fourth place

Y/N's car was getting too hot because he had been pushing it way past its limit, but he knew it was the final lap, so he wasn't backing down

As the three runner ups were approaching the final chicane, Leclerc goes across the rumblestrip and Perez tries to overtake him, but Charles blocks him and crosses the line at second

Y/N crosses the line a little after them, hoping Charles gets a penalty 

Perez: Hey, hey! What is he doing, mate? He went off and pushed me off. It was really unsafe

"Charles Leclerc has been given a five second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. It gives Verstappen a 113 point lead. Because the race resumed after the red flag, full points could be awarded."

And full points were awarded in the race, making Max win back-to-back championships

After giving some interviews, the top three drivers go to the cooldown room and Max congratulates Y/N for a brilliant drive

Max: Hey, Y/N, that was one hell of a drive out there. Seriously, you were on fire. It's not easy to come back from a position like that. Well done, mate

Y/N: Nah, this is your time, not mine. Congrats on the title, bro. Nice drive out there for you too, Checo.

Max: That's what I like about you. In this sport, you have to be a killer. And you are a killer...

Y/N: Next year, I really hope I get a real shot at this. I mean, I kinda was a championship contender...for three races.

...

After the champagne celebrations, Y/N changes into new clothes and goes back to Hailee

Hailee: You did amazing out there, babe. Seriously, that was some thrilling racing.

They share a quick kiss

Florence, who was also there, congratulates Y/N

Florence: Y/N, that was incredible! Seriously, you had me on the edge of my seat.

Y/N: Thanks, Flo. Sorry about what happened, by the way.

Florence: Thanks. Glad Hailee called me here. Press conferences are getting the best of me.

As they were talking, Carlos Sainz approaches Y/N to apologize about the shunt and congratulate him on a great recovery drive

Carlos: Y/N, man, I owe you an apology for that incident. I misjudged the braking point in those tricky conditions.

Y/N: No hard feelings, Carlos. It's racing, and Suzuka can be unforgiving. Sorry things didn't work out for you today.

Hailee bumps him on the shoulder, seemingly to start playing matchmaker with Flo and Carlos

Y/N: Oh, of course. Where were my manners? Carlos, this is Florence. Florence, have you met Carlos?

Y/N grabs Hailee by the hand and walks away very slowly to make their two friends comfortable

Carlos: Hi...Carlos Sainz, Ferrari driver.

As Carlos introduced himself with his distinct Spanish accent and deep voice, Florence couldn't help but feel a subtle flutter in her chest. His voice carried a certain warmth, and the accent added a layer of charm that she found intriguing

Florence: Florence Pugh, actress. Nice to meet you, Carlos.

She extends her hand, and Carlos shakes it with a smile.

Carlos: Likewise, Florence. So, Y/N here tells me you're into racing. You come to watch often?

Florence: Yeah, I try to catch a few races when I can. It's thrilling, isn't it?

Carlos: Absolutely. Maybe next time we'll have you in the paddock.

They continue chatting, and Y/N smirks at Hailee as they watch the scene from a comfortable distance

Florence: ...Yeah and I actually moved to Spain for a while in my childhood.

Carlos' eyes widen

Carlos: No way! Where did you stay?

Florence: Manilva, Malaga.

Carlos: ¡Vaya! That's amazing. Beautiful region. What brought you there?

Florence: I...actually had tracheomalacia as a child, and that led to frequent hospitalisations. We moved there hoping the warmer weather would improve my health.

Carlos: Oh, I see. I hope you're doing well now.

She nods and smiles at him

Florence: Much better, thank you. It's just a part of my past now. Anyway, what about you? What brought you into racing?

Carlos: Racing has been in my blood from a young age. My father was a rally driver, so I grew up surrounded by the sport. I started karting when I was ten, and it just went from there.

Their conversation flows effortlessly as they delve into each other's pasts, creating a connection that goes beyond the usual small talk. Y/N and Hailee, who were watching them talk from a distcance, exchange pleased glances, happy with their matchmaking success

Carlos: So, Florence. There's a place nearby where the team is gonna have dinner. You wanna come?

Florence: Claro, estaría encantada de ir. (Of course, I'd be delighted to go.)

Carlos grins at her response, appreciating the spontaneous switch to Spanish. Their conversation takes on a flirtatious tone as they discuss the dinner plans

Y/N: He is a smooth operator...smoooooth operatoooorr!

Hailee laughs at her boyfriend encouraging Carlos

Hailee: So, Mr. Cupid. What now? Celebrations with Max and the rest?

Y/N: Nope. We're going back to the hotel and order room service. And then, we're gonna have a very romantic night with Barry White playing in the background.

As they head back to the hotel, Y/N can't help but feel a sense of contentment. Despite the challenges on the track, the day turned out to be quite eventful and filled with unexpected connections. Little did he know, there were more adventures waiting for him in the days to come