F1 AIE Chapter 5 (Flashback)

>”Come on, It can’t be that bad out there!” your teammate says to you as the crew members strap wet tires to your cars.
>It had been raining all Saturday morning in Austin, and the qualifying session was starting.
>It was not going to wait for your indecisive ass.
“Dude, I don’t want to ruin the car out there. I’m not good in the wet bro.”
>”Quit your bitchin and man up. Besides, the rain has stopped. A dry line will form soon enough”
>He was right; you’ll only have to deal with slippery conditions for a few laps.  Then it’s just smooth sailing from there.
>As the crew set your cars down and fires them up, your teammate says to you over the radio:
>”Slowest lap time buys drinks for the entire crew tonight!”
>With that, he sets off.
“Oh, it’s on.”
>Without hesitation, you let go of the clutch and pull out of the garage…
>Nearly spinning out in the wet pit lane.
“WHOA SHIT. Okay… Okay we’re good.”
>”I saw that.”
“Shut up.”

>Okay, checklist:
>Fuel,
>Check.
>Wet tires,
>Check.
>Engine settings,
>Quick turn of the knob and check.
>Let’s go!
>You reach the end of pit lane and hit the pit speed limiter button, allowing your engine full power.
>Holy fuck its wet out here.
>It must have literally just stopped raining because there are stagnant puddles everywhere.
>TM: ”Yeah, don’t get too friendly with the throttle just yet.”
“Like how you were getting too friendly with your Rarity plushie last night?”
>TM: “You’re just jealous that you don’t have a Dash plush.”
>While that was true, you weren’t gonna let him win that easily.
“Well I’m not the one who just got passed!”
>Going into turn 6 you get under him and hit the throttle as much as you can without losing grip, passing him just before the next turn.
“HAHA! Eat my spray! AND NO ONE HAS MADE A GOOD ENOUGH DASH PLUSH YET!”
>TM: “Haha, come back here.”

>Coming up to turn 11, the turn just before the longest straight, he manages to get on your inside.
>Oh you little faggot.
>TM: “Now we will see who really is the best p0ny. First one to turn 12 proves it!”
>Rarity better than Dash? Nah.
>DRS engaged. KERS Engaged. Throttle floored.
>Small wobble from the torque and like a bat out of hell you thrust forward.
>You time your shifts just right to get maximum power out of the engine.
>Because of that, your teammate slowly starts creeping backwards from beside you.
>You got this shit.
>TM: “NO Dammit!”
>You both brake as late as you can, but he hits them a little harder allowing you and your smooth ass braking to get clear of him and cut him off just before the apex.
“YES! Dash will always be the best and you know it!”
>TM: “You’re still buying drinks for everyone!”
“You wish!”
>Your crew chief comes in over the radio. It sounds like he just finished laughing.
>”Just letting you guys know, that entire exchange was broadcasted on television just now, Conversation and all.”
“HA!”
>TM: “Neat, How’d it look?”
“The internet is going to have fun with that one!”

>Later that afternoon, the final session of qualifying is upon you.
>So far you’re the 5th fastest.
>Your teammate is 4th.
>20 minutes is all you have to change that.
>Otherwise you’re going to spend hundreds of dollars on alcohol tonight.
>The track now dry, you two waste no time getting out there.
>A few laps to get your tires and engine up to optimal temperature and you just let loose with all you’ve got.
>This has to be all you’ve got. With time running down, once you cross the finish line it’s over, that’s where you start.
>You hit every corner exactly as you’re supposed to carrying the momentum of the car to the edge of the track.
>This is it, you can feel it.
>You hit the throttle at all the right points at just the right pressure, all the gear shifts are perfect.
>Final turn
>You used up all your KERS on the main straight. No matter.
>Smoothly get the throttle to full and engage the DRS.
>Gear 2, 3, 4…
>And finish line.
“How was it?”
>”1:49.001 Good enough for third.”
>Wat…
“Who got faster than that!?!?”
>”Both Red Bulls, Vettel with a 1:48.835, and Webber with a 1:48.880”
>God dammit
>Well at least your teammate is buying the entire team drinks tonight.
>You’re gonna make sure to find the most expensive bottle of whatever that this place has.
>”Wait, strike that, your 4th. Your teammate just crossed the line with a 1:48.995.”
>GOD
>FUCKING
>DAMMIT.
>TM: “HAHA! Looks like you’re buying tonight.”
“Oh shut the hell up.”