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Chapter Three

Darien

I squint at the missive that my PR manager has sent to me. Judging from the all-caps READ ASAP and the many red exclamation emojis following that subject line, it looks to be worth checking out.

Diana puts down her coffee across from me, quirking an eyebrow at my laptop. ‘What are you looking at?’

‘Revello has that big thing in Calabria or wherever, right? With the track and the development stuff.’

She nods. ‘Only because the team is ancient, though. Like, older than Ferrari. Why?’

‘God, you guys are so old money.’

She shoots me a blank look. ‘What is old money?’

‘Unimportant.’ I scroll further down the email on my laptop with a badly concealed laugh. ‘Apparently Heidelberg finally wants to do the same thing. They’ve got a centre in progress, this says. Absolutely insane. A development track designed especially for their cars …’

‘And?’ demands Diana.

‘This is supposed to open in Rio in a week ,’ I say with a disbelieving laugh. ‘No way.’

‘Heidelberg? In Brazil?’ Diana takes a huge swig of coffee from her mug, eyes wide and attention piqued. ‘What? When? Why did they contact you?’

‘I think you’ve had enough of that for today.’ I grab the mug emblazoned with CERTIFIED CAR GUY (a gift from my mother) from her and set it on the counter near the sink. ‘Dude. You’ve been here for no more than a week and already you’ve cleaned out all our coffee twice.’

‘Hey, it was your mom who said to make myself at home,’ she points out smartly. ‘Is it a crime that I wanted to see California for the first time?’

Diana is now a frequent flyer over at Heidelberg Hybridge Formula 1 Team, ever since she got engaged to my teammate, Miguel de la Fuente. She’s not only the sole woman on the grid, but also the driver who has lived under a rock the longest. To date, she still hasn’t seen snow fall. She didn’t know what ‘gaslighting’ was until a month ago. She’s like a really poorly adjusted older sister. You can see why my mother took pity on her and let her stay over till she leaves to canoodle with her trophy fiancé in a few weeks.

Also, M?e is just way too nice.

I roll my eyes. ‘Fine. But we need to adjust your caffeine intake.’

‘Shut up, Darien.’ She slaps the table in front of me, making the wooden toucan napkin holder jump a foot in the air. ‘Now. What is with this Heidelberg drama?’

I keep going on the email, and there’s a postscript there, typed out by my PR manager. They’re gonna need you there for this one. Call me as soon as you can.

Before I’ve even finished reading, my phone starts to vibrate in my pocket, and I fish it out with a grip so unstable that my hands could be coated in butter. The caller ID, as if by fate, reads my manager’s name: KATRINA (HERE COMES THE HURRICANE).

‘Answer it!’ Diana hisses, peering over my shoulder at my phone.

I nod frantically and hit the accept button on the screen, trying my hardest not to drop the thing. ‘Uh. Hey, Katrina?’

‘Darien?’ There’s the tinge of an Australian accent in her voice. Katrina, who’s been putting up with my crap for years (as in, since I joined with Vittore in Formula 3), and helped me build up my public persona, is essentially the determiner of my fate. She’s kept media disasters far away from me and taught me to suppress my temper during the awful time I had with Vittore’s Formula 1 team before I moved to Heidelberg. She’s kind of a blessing. ‘I hope you’ve seen the email.’

Diana watches me with eyes the size of dinner plates.

‘Yeah, read the whole thing just now.’

‘So, Darien. You compete under Brazil’s flag in Formula 1, the only one on the grid to represent the country. You have an excellent story. Pocketed your first win at home, grabbed multiple last year, all the works.’ Katrina clears her throat. ‘You’re young, and you’re drawing fans. And as you can now see, Heidelberg has chosen to put down roots in Brazil. Do you start to see how you come in here at all?’

‘Um … not quite, to be honest. Like …’ I trail off. ‘What am I coming into? And why Brazil?’

‘Well. Let’s start at Redenc?o, shall we?’ says Katrina in what I know to be her ‘down to business’ tone. ‘Darien. The Regional team you founded is literally based in Rio . Heidelberg already loves you as their driver. I don’t see why they wouldn’t do this in Brazil. Heidelberg is willing to take a chance on you and let Redenc?o share that centre next year.’

I feel the hairs on my arms stand on end. I can’t believe that this is happening. Rio Redenc?o is the team that I started and then have worked on expanding for the past two years through my place in Formula 1. It’s a Formula Regional fixture, focused on giving homegrown Brazilian drivers from all backgrounds a chance in motorsport. Bringing Redenc?o into the Heidelberg family definitely explains why Heidelberg would want to start a centre in Brazil. Our team principal, at the end of the day, isn’t much different from me – his team is a progressive new addition to a rich old man’s sport. Both of us need connections to carve out a place in motorsport: Redenc?o needs Heidelberg to vault our young athletes into the sport; Heidelberg needs Redenc?o to establish a feeder team for itself, a steady stream of new talent. But I hadn’t thought for a second that Heidelberg cared enough to partner on a place for our athletes to train.

‘Redenc?o will what ?’ I match Diana’s expression of confusion, and she shakes her hands at me, as if to say what is going on?

‘Yes, Darien. You’re a PR dream, like I said. Heidelberg is young and fresh, what with you and Miguel. It’s a perfect opportunity for them to make moves to show their commitment to finding talent all over the globe, and put themselves in the limelight. You know what their image is: growth, improvement, but only the best,’ Katrina goes on matter-of-factly. ‘So this is a huge deal. They’ve spared no expense on this project. You’ll have top-of-the-line technology, living quarters, everything in one place.’

My jaw drops in the direction of the polished tile floor.

‘They want you to join them quickly,’ continues Katrina. ‘This is short notice, I am well aware, but they’d like you to be there when the centre opens. That’s in just about a week. The plan is for the entire Heidelberg team, our new reserve driver included, to be out in Rio till that first winter testing, which, for the first time in Formula 1 history, will take place in Brazil, at the new track attached to Heidelberg’s facility. The press is going to be all over this going into the new season. It’s a huge change for Heidelberg, and you’re at the core of it, Darien. Do you understand?’

‘I understand,’ I echo, dumbfounded.

This is amazing.

This is everything to me. This is everything I’ve been hoping for since I was a kid growing up here, dreaming I’d get the chance to do my home country justice. There isn’t a day that passes by when I don’t long to feel closer to Brazil. Now, that day is here.

My F1 team is coming to my home, and my entire country will be watching.

‘Good. We’ll be talking in person soon,’ says Katrina. ‘In the meanwhile, all your itinerary information will be sent to you via email. I’m aware you’re already flying over, but we’ll be moving your flight date up to get you here in time. You’ll be in Rio the day before the grand opening. We’re delighted to have you – trust me, Darien. This project will be an exciting one for the team. But you should know: there’s a lot riding on this launch going well.’

‘Yeah,’ I murmur. I feel like I’m trying to drink water from a fire hose with all this information, but I’m attempting to grab onto the most important parts. Like this one. ‘A lot?’

‘Well, we didn’t want to stress you during the off-season, which is why we’ve decided to greenlight this all now, but Heidelberg will need evidence, you know, that this state-of-the-art facility is working. The funding is no light matter. The sponsors will want to see results.’ Katrina clears her throat. ‘And that will be in the form of bettering last year’s Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship standings. Without which … it’s possible your contract could be on the line, as well.’

At that, my heart sinks.

Last year, we were third in the Constructors’ Championship. That means we’ll need first or second this year. And last year, I was fourth in the Drivers’. Now, I have to podium.

‘Just … just me?’

‘Darien, Heidelberg is investing in you. Your home country, partnership with your racing team. You’re going to have to deliver if we want this new facility to keep its funding for next season, not to mention if we want Heidelberg to keep you for next season too. And ideally … you know you’re young, doing well for yourself. They’d love to see a title back in the trophy case.’

I’ve picked up my jaw now, but it’s just so my mouth can form an O of shock.

‘I’ll be sending you that itinerary. Speak to you soon,’ Katrina finishes far too peppily.

I don’t let the phone move away from my ear till I hear the dull tone that tells me she’s hung up.

Frantically, I open my laptop again. There’s a gentle chime as my inbox tab lights up. I’ve never clicked on something so fast. I lean back and let out a low whistle. There it is.

Re: Heidelberg Hybridge Ring

‘What? What is it?’ Diana scrambles to get out of her chair and stand at my side so she can see it for herself.

‘Look at this thing.’ I exchange a slack-jawed look with Diana as we glance over the floorplan of the new building. ‘It’s huge. This is gonna be the bridge between Heidelberg and Redenc?o, man. This is unreal.’

My head spins like I’ve just downed a whole bottle of tequila. I suddenly remember what Manuel had been going on about: a Granja Comary for drivers. Apparently, as if by magic, here it is now: a chance to attract more drivers from home, to show everyone that Brazil can hold its own against all-comers. New equipment, analytics, it would level our game up massively. Redenc?o drivers would have a fast track, a direct affiliation to F1 through Heidelberg, a shared facility.

But at what cost? I need to get third in the World Drivers’ Championship.

That’s insanity.

‘Well, look at you go!’ hoots Diana, stealing back the CAR GUY mug for one more sip. She studies me for a second, calming down to ask, ‘They’ll want results from you, won’t they?’

I let out a laugh, awkwardly hiding how nervous I’m feeling at the prospect of even more weight on this next season. ‘It’s not just gonna be the average expectations this year. They’re doing all this extra stuff, bringing new people onboard …’

‘The WDC,’ finishes Diana. ‘Bit of pressure there.’

‘Yeah.’ I stare at the email, at the open reply text box yet to be filled in. There was always going to be pressure; it’s the price I pay to drive in F1. It’s the price I paid when I took it upon myself to get M?e and me out of Oakland. But I had never felt it so intensely before.

Looks good , I type. I’ll be there in a week.