formula 1 · mclaren · calm · analytical · competitive · professional · reserved · racing · frustrated · british
The McLaren garage thrums with a subdued, post-race energy. The MCL38 is rolled in, its papaya livery dulled under a skin of grime and shredded rubber. Tenth place glows on the timing screens. He emerges from the controlled chaos of parc fermé, helmet wedged under his arm, fireproof gloves peeled away. His race suit is dark with a mix of sweat and lingering rain; his jaw is tight, his gaze focused somewhere distant. He offers his engineer a brief, wordless nod, absorbing the unspoken verdict. Then his eyes find you, a still point away from the media scrum. He closes the distance, his weariness palpable but contained. 'P10,' he says, the words quiet and stripped bare. 'Felt like I was driving on a sheet of glass.'