#rbr can burn

[lleclercism]

"another charles pole and max win" me personally i know the only reason charles is fighting versus the rockship that is redbull its purely because of how well he manages the car and how much he has to fight it for it to be able to be competitive and guess what! is not enough! because the sf-23 is still a tractor and rbr have won almost every race this year! and they've dominated the past 3 seasons! and i think the amount of poles he has had just shows how good of a driver he is and the potential he has to show when he finally has a car that will fight alongside him, not against him

[skitskatdacat63]

I started a "big" drawing of them, but didn't wanna get too into it, so here are some small Hussar Martian :)

[danielverstappen]

.

[maxplaining-oscribing]

the children (max and alex) yearn for the mines (p17 and p20)

We’re back*, baby!

*back at the bottom of the grid. Also, hello, Red Bull

[adimouze]

if daniel was never getting that seat, if that seat was so easily bought. then what was the reason for RBR messing up the positive PR engagement they could have gotten from the retirement of a beloved F1 icon? why make daniel leave in the last half of the season when they could have just WAITED a few races. What was the reason other than unfathomable cruelty towards a beloved son they raised? Was it punishment? What. What was the reason.

They did not need to assess liam because liam was not being assessed for anything. They could have just waited. Give daniel an ending. But they chose to fuck over daniel particularly. He loved them so much and they still chose to do it. That entire team can burn, actually.

Hey if one good thing to come off of this is that they probably immortalised daniel forever. no other driver in the current grid could have pulled off a tragedy like this other than daniel.

[thearchercore]

I still think it's so interesting that they asked Max about potentially having Charles as his teammate.

We know he eventually was okay with it, but I am so sure that when they first brought it up to him, Max probably laughed and was like "Yeah, real funny guys, if you think you can get him go for it, but I'm pretty sure he's never leaving Ferrari."

And they were like, "Max, we're not joking, this is serious, we might actually hire him and we need your confirmation," and then Max had to go and actually think about it.

rbr's attempt to sign charles last year is not well documented but we can assume after singapore charles hit a spot where he considered the option as well as the ferrari renewal. so there's always the question of -

was charles using rbr to negotiate a better contract with ferrari?

was he actually considering changing teams?

or did he just promise them that they would be his #1 option if he had to activate an exit clause and that was enough to negotiate a possible pre-contract?

we don't know, but max and charles definitely had to dig deep into their relationship to find the answer to the teammate question - there's the dynamic imbalance of charles not having a WDC yet, possibly coming to a new team and all that. they must have seriously considered that they would work as a team without crashing and burning and taking red bull down with them.

again, it's a mystery we will not unpack unless someone breaks their nda but i find this little era such an essential part of their lore because it definitely caused a shift in their dynamic

[skywalker1dream]

Title: Driven by Friendship

Note: Okay so I have no idea what I wroteSo if there are mistakes, please tell me (which I'm sure there will be) tbh I don't like it so maybe I will delete it later. Oh and we need more fics about these two men sadly. [They can hit me with a car and I'd say thank you]

Warnings: Language, Sexism,Injury,Emotional Conflict...(anything else? I don't know, let me know;3) Use of nicknames hase [bunny] (german correct me if I am wrong) darling, love..

Rbr!Sebastian vettel x fem!driver!reader,

Jenson Button x fem!driver!reader..

Summary: The story follows readers and Sebastian's friendship from karting to Formula 1. Tensions rise, leading to a collision and strained relations. Unexpected friendships.Despite support from Jenson Button, Sebastian's betrayal deepens the rift, emphasizing the importance of friendship.

From the moment you and Sebastian met at the local karting track as kids, you were inseparable. You shared a passion for racing that burned brighter than the sun, and together, you conquered every track and championship in your path.

As you grew older, your dreams of reaching Formula 1 together only strengthened. But along the way, you faced countless obstacles, none more daunting than the prejudice and skepticism of the male-dominated racing world.

journalists were quick to criticize you, questioning your skills and abilities simply because you were a woman in a sport traditionally dominated by men. But you refused to let their words discourage you, fueled by the unwavering support of Sebastian and your fellow drivers.

"Seb, did you hear what they're saying about me?" you asked one evening, frustration evident in your voice.

"Ignore them, Hase. You know they're just trying to get under your skin," Sebastian replied, his tone firm.

"But it's not fair! I've worked just as hard as anyone else to be here," you protested.

"I know, and I believe in you. We'll show them together," Sebastian said, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder.

When Mark Webber retired in 2013, you saw an opportunity to join Red Bull Racing. You and Sebastian became teammates,It was a dream come true, a childhood dream to be teammates, and finally that dream came true, but little did you know that it would test the strength of your friendship in ways you never imagined.

As teammates, you and Sebastian were thrilled to be racing together at the highest level. But as the season progressed, tensions began to rise. Competitive instincts clashed with personal loyalties, and soon, your friendship was strained.

After a few races, tragedy struck. In a moment of miscommunication on the track, you and Sebastian collided, sending both of you spinning off into the gravel trap. The aftermath was tense, emotions running high as blame was exchanged.

"What were you thinking? You cut across me!" Sebastian's voice was filled with frustration as he confronted you in the garage.

"Me? You're the one who didn't leave me any room! I had nowhere to go," you shot back, your own anger rising to match his.

The tension between you simmered, neither willing to back down. But as the adrenaline faded and the reality of what had happened set in, you both knew that something had to change.

"Seb, can we talk?" you asked tentatively, breaking the silence between you a few days later. "Oh and I brought peace of offering." You showed him donuts and ice-cream.

"Sure, Hase. What's on your mind?" Sebastian replied, his expression cautious.

"I just... I don't want things to be like this between us," you said, your voice softening.

"Neither do I," Sebastian admitted, his gaze meeting yours. "I'm sorry for what I said. I was angry, but that's no excuse."

"I'm sorry too. I should have been more aware of my surroundings," you replied, a weight lifting off your shoulders.

As the season progressed, the strain on your relationship became more apparent. Small disagreements turned into heated arguments, and soon, you found yourselves avoiding each other both on and off the track.

"I can't believe you let me down out there," Sebastian muttered bitterly after a particularly disappointing race.

"I'm not the one who's been making mistakes lately," you retorted, unable to hide your own frustration.

The words hung between you like a dark cloud, a stark reminder of how far you had drifted from the friendship you once shared.

During a press conference, you faced harsh criticism from male journalists (again) questioning your abilities and suggesting that you didn't belong in Formula 1. As the questions became more pointed, you looked to Sebastian for some support, but he remained silent, his gaze fixed on the floor.

"And what do you say to those who claim you're only here because of your connection to Sebastian Vettel?" one journalist asked, a hint of malice in his voice.

You felt the weight of his words like a punch to the gut. as you struggled to find a response, Jenson Button stepped in, defending you with a passion that brought tears to your eyes.

I've raced against her, and let me tell you, she's one of the most talented drivers I've ever had the privilege of competing against," Jenson said, his voice unwavering.

"She's earned her place in Formula 1 through hard work and determination, not because of who she knows," he continued, his words a lifeline in a sea of doubt.

As the press conference came to an end, you felt a sense of gratitude wash over you, grateful for Jenson's unwavering support even in the face of adversity.

As the press conference came to an end, you felt a sense of gratitude wash over you, grateful for Jenson's unwavering support even in the face of adversity.

After the journalists filed out of the room, you turned to Jenson, a mixture of emotions swirling inside you.

"Jenson, I don't know what to say," you began, your voice trembling with emotion.

Jenson smiled warmly, placing a reassuring hand on your shoulder. "You don't have to say anything, darling. We're all in this together, remember?"

You nodded, feeling a swell of gratitude for his kindness. "Thank you, Jenson. I don't know what I would have done without you," you admitted, a lump forming in your throat.

"Hey, that's what friends are for," Jenson replied, his gaze sincere. "Just remember, you belong here just as much as anyone else. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

His words resonated with you, a reminder that you were not alone in this fight. With a grateful smile, you squeezed Jenson's hand, silently thanking him for being the friend you needed in that moment of doubt.

"I won't forget it, Jenson. Thank you," you said, your voice filled with conviction.

And as you left the press conference room, a renewed sense of determination filled your heart. Though the road ahead would be challenging, you knew that with friends like Jenson by your side, you could face anything that came your way.

Back in the garage, you confronted Sebastian, hurt and anger bubbling to the surface.

"Why didn't you defend me out there, i thought we had each others back?" you demanded, your voice trembling with emotion.

"I... I don't know. I just... I didn't know what to say," Sebastian stammered, his eyes filled with regret.

"You could have said something, anything!" you cried, feeling the weight of his silence like a betrayal.

But as you looked into his eyes, you saw the regret there, a silent acknowledgment of his failure to stand by you when you needed him most.

The tension between you and Sebastian had reached a breaking point, with each passing day bringing more heated arguments and strained interactions. But just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, there was a knock on your hotel room door.

With a sense of trepidation, you opened the door to find Sebastian standing on the other side, a sheepish smile on his face and a box of donuts and a tub of ice cream in his hands.

"I come bearing peace offerings," he said, his tone lighthearted but sincere.

You couldn't help but smile at his gesture, a wave of nostalgia washing over you. Donuts and ice cream had been your tradition for as long as you could remember, a symbol of your friendship and the bond you shared.

"I guess old habits die hard," you replied, stepping aside to let him in.

What followed was a week of laughter and camaraderie, as you and Sebastian fell back into your old rhythms, joking around and laughing at each other's jokes and antics. It felt like old times, and for a fleeting moment, you allowed yourself to believe that maybe, just maybe, things could go back to the way they were.

But as the week drew to a close, the tension returned, hanging between you like a heavy fog. And despite your best efforts to maintain the facade of friendship, the cracks in your relationship began to show once again.

The once inseparable bond you shared seemed to fade further into the distance with every awkward silence and tense exchange.

As the season pressed on, the weight of your strained relationship began to take its toll on both of you.

"Are you crazy? You almost crash into me!" Sebastian's voice was filled with frustration as he confronted you in the garage.

"Me? Are you blind?You were in front of me, you braked and we both almost hit the wall!"

you shot back, your own anger rising to match his. The tension between you simmered, neither willing to back down. But as the adrenaline faded and the reality of what had happened set in, you both knew that something had to change.

despite your best efforts to maintain the facade of friendship, the cracks in your relationship began to show once again.

The strain between you and Sebastian was palpable, lingering like an unspoken truth in the air. Despite the temporary respite of laughter and shared memories, the underlying issues remained unresolved, simmering beneath the surface.

With each passing day, it became increasingly clear that the competition between you was more than just a temporary setback.

And as you navigated the twists and turns of the race track, you couldn't help but wonder if the biggest challenge you faced wasn't the competition on the circuit, but the battle to salvage what was left of your fractured friendship with Sebastian.

The fight between you and Sebastian was like a collision on the track—explosive, unpredictable, and fraught with tension. It began with a series of small disagreements, simmering beneath the surface until it finally erupted into a full-blown confrontation.

As the dust settled and blame was exchanged, tempers flared, and harsh words were spoken in the heat of the moment.

Accusations flew back and forth, each of you convinced of your own innocence and the other's culpability.

As emotions ran high, the fight spilled over from the track into the garage, where heated arguments and bitter accusations threatened to tear apart the fabric of your friendship. Both of you dug in your heels, unwilling to back down, each convinced of the righteousness of your own perspective.

But beneath the anger and hurt, there was also a sense of betrayal feeling that the person you once trusted implicitly had let you down when you needed them most. And as the fight dragged on, it became increasingly clear that repairing the damage done to your relationship would be no easy task.

The fight between you and Sebastian reached a boiling point in the garage after the race.

"What were you thinking?!" Sebastian's voice was sharp with frustration as he confronted you.

"Are you serious, Seb? I left you plenty of room! You just didn't take it!" you shot back, your own frustration boiling over.

"I had nowhere to go! You squeezed me into the wall!" Sebastian's voice rose, matching your intensity.

"I didn't squeeze you into anything! You should have backed off!" you retorted, the tension between you crackling like lightning.

The team members nearby exchanged uneasy glances, sensing the escalating conflict between their drivers. But neither of you seemed willing to back down, each too stubborn to concede the other's point.

Just as the argument between you and Sebastian threatened to escalate further, a familiar voice cut through the tension like a knife.

"Hey, hey, what's going on here?" Jenson Button's calm voice broke through the heated exchange, his presence commanding attention.

You and Sebastian both turned to see Jenson standing in the doorway of the garage, his expression calm but firm.

"nothing," Sebastian started, but Jenson held up a hand to silence him.

"Nothing? From where I'm standing, it looks like a whole lot of something," Jenson replied, his gaze moving between you and Sebastian.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, Sebastian fell silent, his jaw clenched in frustration. You too remained silent, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and relief at Jenson's intervention.

"Look, I get it. Racing is intense, emotions run high, but you two are teammates, friends even. You can't let this come between you," Jenson continued, his tone gentle but firm.

"We'll talk about this later," he said, turning his attention to Sebastian. "But for now, I think it's best if you both cool off."

With a nod from Jenson, Sebastian reluctantly backed down, his expression tense but resigned. You too felt the tension draining from your body, grateful for Jenson's intervention.

The final race of the season loomed ahead like a storm on the horizon. With both of you fighting for the championship title, the stakes had never been higher.

But as the race unfolded, it became increasingly clear that this would be no ordinary battle. Sebastian's desperation to win seemed to override any sense of sportsmanship, resorting to aggressive maneuvers and risky tactics to gain an advantage.

In the final moments of the race, as you and Sebastian went wheel to wheel, the unthinkable happened. With a sudden lunge, Sebastian executed a dirty move, forcing your car off the racing line and into a spin that sent you careening off the track and into the barriers.

Time seemed to stand still as your car crumpled against the unforgiving concrete, the impact reverberating through your body like a shockwave. And in that moment, as the realization of what had just happened sank in, a profound sense of betrayal washed over you like a tidal wave.

Sebastian's victory celebration felt hollow against the backdrop of your shattered dreams and broken trust. As he stood on the podium, basking in the glory of his championship win, you couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness, knowing that the cost of his victory had been the loss of your friendship.

And as the season came to a close, the rift between you and Sebastian widened into an unbridgeable chasm, the bonds of friendship irreparably broken by the events of that fateful race. In the end, it wasn't the thrill of victory that defined the season, but the bitter taste of betrayal and the painful realization that some wounds never truly heal.

As Jenson stepped into the hospital room, you noticed the concern etched into his features, a stark contrast to the composed demeanor he usually exuded. His presence was a welcome sight, offering a glimmer of solace amidst the turmoil of the aftermath.

"Hey," Jenson began softly, his voice filled with empathy as he approached your bedside. "How are you holding up?"

You mustered a weak smile, grateful for his presence in the midst of the chaos. "I've been better," you admitted, the weight of recent events pressing down on you.

Jenson nodded, his expression somber. "I saw what happened out there. I'm so sorry."

The memory of the crash flashed through your mind, the sensation of spinning out of control still fresh in your memory. Tears welled up in your eyes as you recalled the betrayal of seeing Sebastian's maneuver unfold before you.

"I don't understand why he would do that," you confessed, your voice trembling with emotion.

Jenson's gaze softened, a mixture of sympathy and understanding in his eyes. "I wish I had an answer for you. All I know is that you didn't deserve any of this."

His words were a balm to your wounded spirit, offering a sliver of comfort in the midst of your turmoil. As you met his gaze, gratitude flooded your heart, a silent acknowledgment of the unwavering support he had shown you in your darkest hour.

"Thank you for being here, Jenson," you whispered, your voice choked with emotion.

Jenson reached out, grasping your hand in his own, a gesture of solidarity and reassurance. "Always, love. You're not alone in this."

And in that moment, as you felt the warmth of his hand enveloping yours, you knew that no matter what lay ahead, you had a friend by your side who would stand with you through it all.

So the end...it was bad I know,but It was fun to write it.

Can you guess my inspiration? I give you hint "Silver Arrows"

I love drama

[buckybarnesthehotshot]

Not Broken Yet (Daniel Ricciardo x F!Reader)

|ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ|

summary: in which he makes up with an old flame upon finding his way back to the track

word count: 4189

warnings: angst, not proofread, mentions of daniel’s “hiatus”, rbr!reader

a/n: how are all of us danny girlies holding up after quali 😭

Australia; November 28, 2018

      An open field in Australia was the solace they needed from their hectic lives as Formula 1 drivers. An open field, a picnic blanket, and a sky full of stars. It was perfect. Even if it rained, it would have been perfect for them still, because they had each other to share that moment with.

      “I think I’m falling in love with you,” she admitted with a bashful expression. She gazed into his eyes, and everything else ceased to exist. The stars in the night sky burned for them like they burned for each other. His brown eyes bore into hers and they knew this was where they were meant to be.

      And he kissed her. He cupped her jaw, one arm wrapping around her waist as he drew her close and kissed her. She had never felt more alive than when she felt his lips on hers. She smiled, content with that moment.

      “I know I’m falling in love with you,” he mumbled against her lips. It was the easiest thing, falling for one another. Falling in love was easy. Working through those feelings, not so much.

Monaco; August 20, 2022

      “It was never this complicated between us, Daniel,” she huffed, exhaustion heavy in her eyes as she pleaded, “Tell me how you feel! What I can do for you.”

      “You can’t do anything,” he frowned, shaking his head as he hunched over the counter, unable to meet her gaze. He knew that if he gazed her way, he would only feel as though he was the biggest failure in the world. She often looked at him with such admiration, yet he questioned whether or not she would admire him the way he was at that moment, “You’ve got your pretty Red Bull seat on lock, just think about that.”

      “So, that’s what all this is about? Your seat?” she questioned, shaking her head, “Daniel, your seat is safe for another season. You can think about your options if you want, but McLaren isn’t getting rid of you that easily.”

      “Except they did, y/n,” his voice grew quiet as he said the words, clearly unable to accept them either, “They’re buying me out of my contract.”

      She remained quiet as she heard the words. Not once in their relationship did she question whether or not she’d still drive with Daniel, yet there they were. His future in the sport was up in the air, while her seat was secure for a few more years.

      “Daniel, we can fix this,” she mumbled, “We’ll talk to your manager, we’ll talk to other teams. It’ll be fine.”

     “There is no ‘we’ in this, y/n!” he insisted, his voice breaking as he finally looked over at her, tears in his eyes, “It’s my seat that I lost, y/n. You don’t have to make this your problem too.”

      “I don’t care!” she exclaimed, “I don’t care if you think you can go on and face this problem on your own, I won’t allow it. You can’t go through this on your own, Daniel. I’m here for you. I’m always here for you. I was here for you when you made the transfer to Renault, I was here for you when you made the transfer to McLaren, and I’m here for you now.”

      “That’s not the same thing anymore, y/n,” he shook her words off. They had been through thick and thin, but they had never encountered anything like this. Not for either of their careers. With his position in Formula 1 unsure, it seemed as though even their relationship was unsure to him. He was questioning his entire future, not just in the sport, but with y/n.

      “Why are you acting like this?”

      “Because,” he shook his head, “Because I’m jealous, y/n. You’ve had a great season, but I’ve had a shitty season. You’ve got a great career ahead of you—”

      “So do you!” she scoffed, “If you think you’re done with Formula 1, I’m going to need you to reconsider those thoughts. Because you’re not. You’re not done yet in Formula 1. You’ve got fans that love you, you’ve got skill, you’ve got talent. Daniel Ricciardo, you have a future in Formula 1!”

      “I find that hard to believe,” he admitted with a bittersweet smile, “I love that you believe in me like this, I do, but we have to be realistic about this, y/n. No team’s going to take me in after the season I had. “

      “You’ll find a team,” she spoke reassuringly, wrapping her arms around his frame, allowing him to rest his weary head on her shoulders as he sighed.

      “I think we need a break,” he blurted out, pulling away from her grasp. She tried so desperately to hold on to him, unwilling to face the reality of what he had just said.

      “No, no, Danny, don’t say that, please,” she pleaded, clinging onto him tighter, “We’ll get through this.”

      “y/n, I need to work through this on my own,” he insisted stubbornly as she huffed, “I can’t have my career issues distracting you from your career. I don’t want you to have to think about me.”

      “Seat or not, I’m always thinking of you and your well-being,” she reminded him, “And you’re not a distraction, Daniel Ricciardo. You’re my boyfriend. It’s been that way for four years, Daniel. Do you think I’m going to walk away now?”

      “It’ll be better for both of us,” he spoke as though he believed those words, that he’d made up his mind, “I’ll be able to focus solely on my career for now, and I think it’s what I need to get back in the zone.”

      “So, you’re saying this is my fault?”

      “I’m saying anything but that. This is my fault, y/n. That’s why I have to be the one to fix this, and I think this may be the way how,” he tried his best to convince her that it was for the better. She was unconvinced of this. Why would it be beneficial for either of them to break up?

      “And this is what you want?” she croaked out.

      “It’s what I need,” he stated bitterly, frowning at the way her face dropped at those words. He wished desperately to take back his words as tears began to line her eyes, “None of this is your fault, please.”

      “All right,” she nodded, sniffling, “I’ll see you around the track.”

      A sunny park in Monaco gave her no solace from their hectic lives as Formula 1 drivers.  A damp wooden bench, the sun in her eyes like a spotlight on an actress in a tragedy. She was alone. He was alone. There was no turning back from that point.

COTA; October 20, 2022

      “It’s tragic, yeah? What’s happening to Daniel?” Max questioned her almost innocently, not quite aware of what went down between the pair after the announcement that he was leaving McLaren for the next season, “How are you guys holding up.”

      “We broke up,” she mumbled absentmindedly in response to her teammate, “Just before the news dropped, actually.”

      “Oh,” Max’s eyes grew wide, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

      “It’s all right. Not exactly an open thing for people, yeah?” she chuckled in an attempt to shrug it off. It stung, of course. Being reminded of the breakup between her and Daniel. They tried to make things work after, trying to remain civil, but she found that she simply could not manage it. She could not continue with the memory of what they used to share, replaced with the bitter reality of what they now were.

      “What are you both gossiping about now?” Christian chimed in at the sight of both his drivers seated at black metal chairs in the garage.

      “Daniel’s seat,” Max murmured, like a child who had been caught by a teacher speaking to his seatmate and disrupting a class.

      “It’s a pity, what’s happening to him, yeah?” Christian muttered at the thought, having heard the news.

      “Do you…know, if he has a seat yet?” she questioned sheepishly, wanting to know about Daniel’s future in Formula 1.

      “Not yet, actually,” the man shook his head, “A pity. Any team would be lucky to have a driver like Daniel.”

      “He’s got a fairly big fanbase as well. Pretty marketable, honestly,” she spoke strategically, “He’d be the golden boy of the team. People would love him on any team, honestly. Even if it wasn’t for a driver position.”

      She could see the gears turning in Christian’s head as she dropped those words. She gave a satisfied smile as she did, knowing there was a possibility of Daniel at least having a team to fall back on in Formula 1, if not a seat.

      “I’ll keep that in mind,” Christian nodded, ready to pull his phone out to make a few calls. Despite their breakup, she wanted nothing more than to look out for him. Even if it meant she’d have to see him a little bit more than she would have wanted.

      “Why’d you do that?” Max questioned, quirking a brow at y/n, “I can see what you were trying to do, but I thought you guys broke up.”

      “We did,” she nodded, “Doesn’t mean I don’t want him to be out of F1 permanently. He can use Red Bull as an opportunity to bounce back from all the damage McLaren did to his image as a driver.”

      “You’re really looking out for him, huh?” Max quirked a brow at his teammate’s response to his question, “You know, you guys were good together.”

      “I know, but it’s Daniel who said he needed the break,” y/n shrugged, “Didn’t need to add to everything else he’s going through at the time, yeah? If he says it’s what he needed, then who am I to deny him that?”

      “Yeah, but still, you guys were just…good for each other,” Max stated bluntly, having been there for the pair’s relationship through the years.

      “It was like we were living in a dream, you know?” she smiled wistfully at the thought of her and Daniel together. That dream faded, and they awoke to the reality they lived in. That she and Daniel were no longer an item.

Monaco; November 23, 2022

      Not too soon after the season ended, the announcement dropped on all of Red Bull’s social media accounts. Daniel was going to be the team’s third driver. She smiled as she scrolled to the post, smiling as she read through the positive comments, all welcoming Daniel back to Red Bull.

      She left a small comment of her own. It wasn’t much. Just a heart emoji. Nothing to fuss over, and nothing to speak much of. Just a small comment letting both the general public and, perhaps, Daniel know how she felt in regards to him joining the team as a third driver.

      After leaving the comment, she fought the urge to contact Daniel, congratulating him for ‘coming home’ to Red Bull. If only he could finally come home to her. To come back to her, to tell her things with them were okay, to make up with her. Still, she kept her distance. If he wanted to make up with her, he would have been the one to contact her. He would have been the one to tell her that he wanted their “break” to be over.

      Who was she kidding? It had been months since they had last actually connected. It was not a break, it was a break-up. She could no longer deny it to herself. She was content watching his career progress from the sidelines if it was what he wanted.

      But goddamn, did Red Bull’s colors look good on the man.

Bahrain; March 5, 2023

       She finished in second place for the first race of the season, right behind her teammate. It was a great juxtaposition to where she and Max were for the first race of the previous season. She crossed the checkered flag, smiling widely.

       “So, great results today,” he smiled at her, trailing her on her way back to the Red Bull garage for the race debrief. She hardly looked his way as she passed him by, “Really, I mean P2’s great. A nice double podium to start the season for you and Max.”

       He kept talking and she did her best to drone him out, not even acknowledging his words with so much as a nod.

       “I mean, it was amazing, seeing you in the car again. You both seemed very pleased with yourselves up on the podium. With good reason, of course. You both did amazing, but mostly you since, well, you’re the one I’m talking to. Have to do a bit of sucking up at least,” he chuckled, his face dropping as he received no response.

       Was it going to be like this for the rest of the season?

Saudi Arabia; March 20, 2023

      He sat in the garage, leaning over his seat anxiously as he watched the screens, constantly averting his gaze to y/n’s onboard cameras as the race progressed. He wore the happiest smile on his face when he watched her car overtake the green Aston Martin driven by Fernando Alonso himself.

      “That’s my girl,” he said quietly to himself, eyes never leaving the screen.

      He watched as she entered the pit lane for a pit stop, brown eyes shining under the bright lights as he was mesmerized by how she maneuvered the car, as though she and the machine shared a soul.

      “You guys talk it out yet?” Christian made sure his radio was muted as he turned to Daniel, aware of the complicated situation between the drivers.

      “Not really, no,” Daniel shook his head.

      “From the looks of it, you better do it soon. Lest you want to keep watching her from the sidelines like a lovestruck idiot,” the team principal offered him a pat on the back like a concerned father.

      “That obvious?” he questioned.

      “On both sides, honestly,” Christian admitted, “You know, she’s one of the reasons why you’ve got the third driver seat. Started talking to Marko and me about how any team would love you, in any capacity.”

      “Really?” he quirked an eyebrow at the older man’s words, unable to believe it. With how she had shrugged him off in Bahrain, he would have thought she wanted nothing to do with him. That she would have wanted to watch him walk away from the grid after that, though who was he kidding? He knew she wasn’t like that.

      “Yeah,” Christian nodded before turning back to the monitors and watching both his drivers closely as they made their way through the track.

      Daniel watched her car closely like a hawk, aware that a simple misstep on the track could have cost her the position she had in the race. Though, he knew she was not like that. She was in sync with the car that night, an absolute beast on the track. She dominated the track from start to finish, ending the race in P1.

      Anyone in the garage that day could have verified that Daniel Ricciardo cheered the loudest that night as she crossed the checkered flag. He was her biggest fan, and he was not ashamed of admitting it. Still, there was no way of approaching. She wouldn’t even look his way during the podium ceremony.

      She stood proudly on the top step of the podium, her hands behind her back as her country’s national anthem played. She looked down into the audience, a fair number of them cheering for her. In the wave of dark blue Red Bull kits, her eyes wandered over to him.

      When she crossed the checkered flag, she wished so desperately to be able to share the moment with Daniel. To have him kiss her in celebration of the win, the same way they used to. One of the brightest moments of her season, and she still wished she could have shared the moment with him.

      Even in one of the brightest moments of her career, she found herself looking for him. Still, she averted her gaze, unwilling to look his way, knowing she would have melted if she saw the way he looked up at her, that wide smile on his face.

      She celebrated happily with the team as they cheered for her, chugging down the bottle of champagne with her teammate as the crowd cheered continuously.

Monaco; May 28, 2023

      Monaco was a track beloved by many. Be it the sights while racing, the absolute luxury of the race, or the fact that Monaco was where a lot of the drivers lived. For drivers like y/n, it was a site of heavy nostalgia.

      Before the race, she, Max, and Daniel had filmed a promotion for the team while driving remote control boats around. She tried to pretend for the camera, but she could not hide the awkwardness of the situation. Sure, they had recorded quite a bit of content together already for the team, but Monaco was different.

      She and Daniel had shared many moments in Monaco, be it on the track or off the track. Like many other drivers, she had a flat in Monaco as well. She hated coming back to the flat for the season, it was littered with reminders of her relationship with Daniel. Like how she would stay over at his place, or when he would come over to hers because she didn’t want to feel alone in the flat.

      And if any of that wasn’t reason enough, Monaco had been the site for their breakup.

      She could no longer do that this season. She could not call him to come over, nor could she come over to his flat either.

      She was stuck in her head for Monaco. That much was evident the moment she stepped in the car. It was almost as though she could not get in proper synchronization with the car while she was stuck thinking of Daniel.  

      She crashed out early in Qualifying. She lost control of her car almost instantly as she drove it. Because of her inability to get Daniel out of her head, she had to start dead last at one of the toughest tracks to overtake at.

      To make things worse, it seemed as though nobody else had their heads screwed on straight for the Grand Prix. The first lap was complicated, with many drivers being caught up in one of the turns. She let out a frustrated groan, unwilling to accept the fact that she had to drive more laps around such a messy track.

      As if the race wasn’t bad enough, the rain began to pour, testing her patience more and more. She nearly crashed into a wall too then. She ended the race in P16.

      After dealing with the media, she practically stomped back to the garage, her mood as sour as the skies were gray.

      “Hey, you doing okay?” he questioned, quick to approach her in his little Red Bull raincoat.

      “No,” she shook her head. She hated the fact that she was so quick to admit it to him. And like word vomit, the emotions came pouring out, “I’m freezing cold, I had a terrible result with no points for the team, and I can’t get out of my head!”

      “C’mere,” he mumbled, pulling her close to him. She couldn’t protest, wanting nothing more than to feel his warm comfort at that moment.

      “Soon enough, all of the fanboys are going to start talking about how I’m too incapable of being a Red Bull driver, and if I keep this up, my career could be hanging off a thread.”

      “Shh,” he mumbled against her forehead, “Don’t think about that for now, yeah? You had a bad weekend, that’s it. You’re an amazing driver, and you just got unlucky yesterday, and today.”

      She hated it. She hated how his words made sense, and she hated how his attempt to comfort her was working. She hated how she found her way back into her arms just after a bad day. She hated how she relished in the feeling of his arms around her, and she hated how she wanted to come back to him after every bad day from that point on.

      She couldn’t. This was going to be a one-time thing, she swore to herself.

      Daniel, though. He held out hope that he could fix what they had. They weren’t broken yet.

Hungary; July 23, 2023

      “And how do you feel knowing that Daniel Ricciardo got into P13 in today’s race?” one of the interviewers questioned her.

      “It’s great,” she nodded, offering the interviewers a small smile, “The contact at the start of the race could have gone much worse for him, but I’m very happy things worked out the way they did, and I’m happy he’s racing again.”

      “Do you have any comments on the fact that Daniel Ricciardo might be out to get your seat? You’ve been doing poorly in Qualifying sessions,” the reporter bugged her with questions not quite related to the race. She didn’t mind the idea of it one bit. She was proud of Daniel. Nothing was going to shake that, not even the thought of people wanting to have him replace her.

      “If it happens, I’ll respect the team’s decision. For now, I don’t have questions on whether or not I’ll be keeping my seat. I have it now, and that’s all I’ll be worrying about,” she responded politely before the interview ended, walking back to the Red Bull garage.

      “Congratulations on your podium,” a familiar voice greeted her as she entered the garage. She looked up into his honey-brown eyes, offering a sincere smile. She could not help herself. She was happy with her performance on the track, with her podium, and she was happy that Daniel did well in the car.

      “Thanks,” she nodded as he held her arms open to her. She stared at him for a moment before giving in and wrapping him up in a hug. It was a familiar feeling, like a dream rediscovered, “Congratulations too, on your Alpha Tauri seat.” 

      “Do you think that maybe, we could talk?” he offered her a bashful expression, “I mean, you’d probably want to cool down a bit after a hot race like that one, but also, I do want to finally be able to talk to you.”

      “Daniel, there’s nothing to talk about—”

      “But there is. You and I both know it,” he insisted, “I’m sorry for what I did last year, I was in a terrible terrible place, but following you around for a bit with Red Bull I only missed you more.”

      “Daniel—”

      “I know, you’re going to say that the moment for this conversation’s long passed, but y/n, please, I want to give us a chance,” he pleaded with her, taking her hands in his, “I know what I threw away now, and it wasn’t right of me to toss you aside like that, and I’m sorry. I am so sorry. I just can’t bear having to be so close to you knowing we aren’t together anymore.”

      “But, Daniel, isn’t it worse now? My seat is your end goal, things are only going to be worse for us this way,” it was the bitter reality, the fact that, as long as they were in Formula 1, they would always be each other’s competition. There was a chance either of them could lose their seat. With how complicated things were the first time around, it was a terrifying thought to consider.

      “Fuck the seat,” he scoffed, “I spent months without the seat, and I realized not having a seat didn’t hurt as bad as not having you. Everything related to the track and racing, we can keep outside our relationship. We can live our personal lives separate from our professional lives. No gray area, just black and white.”

      “We can’t do that. Racing is a big part of our lives.”

      “Well, if your concern was really with the seat, you wouldn’t have put a good word in for me at Red Bull, no?” he pleaded, “Whatever position I’m in now, I owe it all to you, y/n. Please, what are you so afraid of?”

      She could see he was growing desperate. The less she said, the more anxious he grew. His fingers tapped against the palms of her hands. She had hope for them. The way he spoke to her, was nothing but sincere. This was her Daniel speaking. The love of her life.

      “I’m afraid of getting hurt again,” she admitted tearfully, “I’m afraid that the moment things become unsure for us again, you’ll leave me.”

      “Oh, babe,” he muttered, wrapping her up in a tight hug, “I won’t hurt you. Whatever happens, we’ll face it together this time, yeah?”

      “You promise?”

      “I promise.”

      And though nearly a year had passed since the breakup, she still found herself hoping to be with him. And with the end of a chapter, they found a new chapter to begin.

a/n: this reminds me a lot of the chain i’m sorry 😭

F1 TAGS: @errrrrat​​​​ / @ricsaigaslec​​​​ / @veronicapaula​​​​ / @buendiabebeta​​​​ / @abditory-77​​ / @navia3000​​​ (taglist open)

DR3 TAGS: @a-distantdreamer​​​​ (taglist open)

[its-so-zazzy]

Yesterday I was kind of numb about all of this, but after waking up today I am just filled with rage.

I truly cannot comprehend how everyone involved in this let it come to such a point. To turn the possible retirement of one of the most loved F1 drivers into this circus... Allowing him to be put in such a situation, crying in front of reporters, saying goodbye to his career in such a sad way without having a definite answer whether it is the actual end is just disgraceful. Even in that godawful McLaren team, he had a proper sendoff, with cowboy hats, and goodbye messages, and donuts. And it is incredibly rich, after judging Zak Brown for the way they treated him, for Christian Horner and company to find a way to do even dirtier by him.

(And I also can't help being angry at Daniel's team. How is it possible that they were incapable of at least mitigating this a little bit?)

Even if this isn't the end, and they end up letting him finish out the year, or even offer him that RBR seat, why would he take it? To continue to be treated this way? How can they possibly correct this in any sort of way?? And if not, what do RBR think they're gonna achieve? Test Liam with six races in that shitty VCARB for a possible seat at RBR in 2025? And when that inevitably fails, then what? They're left with a shitty lineup at VCARB, and they are left with Perez in RBR, loosing sponsors at VCARB (because Visa and Hugo sure as hell aren't there for Tsunoda or Lawson), with a permanent stain on their name for what they did to someone like Daniel...Truly mindboggling...

So I hope they lose even the 2nd place in WCC, and I hope Max loses WCC as well (nothing to Max, I would love for him to win it over Norris, but my hatred for RBR burns brighter right now), and I hope it all burns down around them, so not even Checo's sponsors can help them pick up the pieces....

[si11ypiratecat]

It just doesn’t make sense? Especially from the perspective of sponsors/money.

If the drop was decided internally and properly before the leak, then at least aside from Daniel himself, the sponsors would get informed? (I imagine the contract must have this with my minimal knowledge in business and law and COMMON SENSE. ) Then wouldn’t the sponsors and liberty media want to put up a grand show of last dance cause if they would be loosing a pretty profitable personnel for the rest of the year, and thus potentially loosing profit, they would want to make some kind of compensation? Granted Daniel himself could be prohibited by the contract from saying anything officially and could have very limited leverage for negotiation whatsoever. But would any sponsor allow this hell of a PR disaster to happen when they have even a tiny bit of time to plan for something? Or even just some damage control when the leak happened?

And if you are to tell me that bad PR is still good PR and that there is a ton of attention and spotlights, and this ambiguity may bring in even more money from the dedicated fans, which is exactly what they want. Maybe the cold hearted corporations are playing the game called ‘who cares about honor or legacy of a guy, whatever that brings in the money!’ Then again it still doesn’t make sense, because there is easily small things that can be done to both lower the risk (of getting criticism and damage to brand image) and improve the outcome (ticket/merch/follow up event sales). And still nothing from nowhere was done? The whole 96 hours starting Thursday morning to Sunday night. Unless the bureaucracies are so incompetent in all parties involved that not any agreement could be achieved, and thus leading to this shit show of ‘literally all media jumping the gun’? Or Daniel Ricciardo is really that washed of a personnel/brand that all of them agree that not a teeny tiny bit of effort of interference during the weekend would be worth it?

If the drop was decided very secretively internally within very limited members without informing any sponsors or outsiders, then wouldn’t it be a pretty risky decision? Like a move potentially tarnishing the trust and relationship with brands? Does rbr not care? Or did rbr just always do it like this? Or does this sport just always work like this?

My logical (as logical as I am capable of) attempt at explaining this confusing situation leads to two general directions.

a) dr3 is almost so worthless in the eyes of rbr and all parties involved that despite media jumped the gun, nobody cared to interfere, since there is no extra profit. An extremely hard pill to swallow. (Who knows maybe I have been delusional altogether, but hey I also don’t need to agree with the standard set by capitalism. )

b) rbr is another level of a shitbox and does not give shit about reputation. Well a long known fact actually. In that case. A luxurious shiny paper castle is still made of paper. You light a single match, and then it will take care of the rest of it and burn itself down. We just wait and see.

[itsblasttothepast]

Just wondering how popular is Checo in Mexico to general audience? As in to people who are not into motosport or even sport in general knowing Mexico doesn't really have strong motosport culture comparing the europe.

Is he like the kind of person who everyone know even if they didn't exactly know what F1 is or what's checo doing or is he only popular to those who are into sport?

Oh, he's popular, wildy popular in fact! Like Mexican pride and joy, even for those who aren't into motorsports. But also he's hated as well, because that's mexicans for you, as soon as a sportsperson starts making his way, they have to tear him down.

Fortunately, he's more loved than hated, and most mexicans know about him because his face is in every phone booth around here (his sponsor is in charge of the phone lines in Mexico), and given that we didn't have a mexican driver in F1 since Héctor Rebaque in the 80's (yes, yes, Adrián Fernández raced in F1 briefly, but not enough to consider him on the list), Checo is like a national treasure.

I wish I was kidding, but nope, people are super passionate about him, chanting his name everywhere, giving him obscene nicknames like 'El creador del sin respeto' (in english would be something like 'the creator of sex'), or 'Sexo Pérez', or 'El preñador' (which means 'the pregnant, making allusion of the four kids he has with his wife) or the most popular 'El viejo sabroso' (old tasty man).

And the passion is such that fans call him 'our tasty old man', I mean, using possessive pronouns because he's our gold star. I know it sounds crazy, but that's mexicans for you, last year they booed Lewis Hamilton at the Mexican GP because he was directly competing with Checo for the subchampionship, and Checo told the public to stop and they did!

Mexicans around the world go to GP to support him, they chant his name and are so hot-blooded when they feel someone is attacking Checo... honestly, even those who aren't sportmotor fans get offended if someone says something bad about Checo (which is why the mexicans that criticize him also get burned and the war starts).

He's so loved, honestly I think it's more liked and respected than soccer players, and in México that's a big deal (at least that's my impression, since I'm not a big soccer fan myself).

The haters always call him 'cap seller', because his caps are the most popular item purchased by fans, and the whole 'he brings money to the team' with RBR is for this, how his fans buy things and go see him (and have sponsors as well, but that's another topic).

The Mexican GP is so wild

Here celebrating one of Checo's victories (Mónaco, if I recall correctly) in the Independence's Angel (only reserved for the Soccer National Selection or the popular soccer teams):

Last year, when he was out of the race on lap 1 in the Mexican GP, you could see the broken hearts of the entire place... but still support him through thick and thin (and the way Checo apologized to us Mexicans... it broke me, honestly).

So, he's super popular and loved, not only by motorsport fans, and many (like me) admit they started seeing F1 just for him. And lately, he's also a heartthrob, gaining a lot of fans for his looks.

And if you ask a mexican about him, he can at least tell you 'he's that driver on the phone booths'

[danieldrivesfast]

All these comments from Bayer about Daniel that mention the "shareholders" keep reinforcing that there is behind the scenes shit that's keeping them from just re-signing him. When is the last time you heard so much focus on the "shareholders" when it comes to extending a driver's contract?

So I'm looking at Bayer, and Miekes, and Horner to step the hell up and defend their driver. You can't go from saying all about how instrumental he's been in the team's/car's/other drivers' development and how important he is to then immediately allowing people to force him out of his seat going forward. I get it, it's a business, I understand better than most, but those big sponsors don't come on board without a big name.

If Daniel doesn't get his seat next year, I hope Blake has made sure to tie him to the Visa/CashApp money so tightly RBR will be paying him for years. 😂

I personally feel like Daniel understands the game as well as anyone, and he knows he's been in OT since he got back in a car. I believe he has other opportunities to go and do exciting and new things once he's done in F1 (looking at you, Trackhouse). I think he would take being forced out by "shareholders" a lot better than all of us - that is why he commented about knowing he did all he could. If the "shareholders" force it and nobody is willing to fight for him (Christian), there's absolutely nothing he can do besides drive the car he's given. But he can take away their excuses by outworking everyone around him and continuing to focus on the betterment of the team, which he is.

tl;dr Daniel Ricciardo is a better person than me, because I'd be airing every bit of dirty laundry and burning the place down on my way out.

[naanima]

Look, the fact of the matter is that Daniel is most likely STILL under contract with RBR, and that could be the reason why he hasn't said anything or clarified anything. Almost ALL employee contracts for high profile roles will have clauses about how long a person has to WAIT before they are allowed to compete against their former employer and/or how long they are NOT allowed to discuss their former employer. Usually that silence comes with a combo of threats and monetary compensation.

You can definitely feel frustrated & annoyed about Daniel's continual silence about Singapore and RBR. But do keep in mind the realities of employee contracts for positions that come with a lot of MONEY & VISIBILITY.

Daniel has historically NOT been quiet about situations that put him in a shitty light. I doubt he will ever reveal everything about what happened, bcos that leads to burned bridges (unless he never wants to come back to F1 again), but I'm almost positive he is gonna start on a podcast tour or some shit once he is legally allowed to.

You do however 100% legit have the right to be fucking MAD at Daniel's agents/contract lawyers etc. LIKE, WTF.

[iguessricciardo]

anyway im back to my rbr can burn and fall campaign

[sionisjaune]

for the prompt game: christian horner getting seb back in the rbr 🥹🙏

[finish the sentence prompt game]

For you... some girl!Seb (the crowd goes WILD):

Christian is man enough to admit to himself that he misses his girl. Seb is hardly a girl anyways--more of a woman now--but Christian wishes she'd hurry up with her backpacking or soul-searching or forest-dwelling or whatever she's been doing since she quit on him.

He's been half-expecting Seb to call in the middle of the night demanding the advisor position Christian offered her, but the phone never rings. Instead, he picks up the phone and dials her number.

Seb answers on the very last ring, and when her voice comes on it's garbled and staticky.

"Hallo!" Seb chirps. "I'm in the woods!"

"The woods?" says Christian, forgetting his plan immediately.

"I'm learning to forage!" says Seb.

"Forage?" says Christian. He pictures Seb up to her elbows in dirt and ferns clutching a little wicker basket heaping with mushrooms. And little blonde braids like Pippi Longstocking. And a dirndl. He snorts.

"There are lots of benefits," says Seb, sagely.

Christian clears his throat and bulldozes forwards. "So, I've just got Kinky Kylie out of storage, and you know we've got that Nürburgring thing coming up in September... I suppose I'm looking for a driver."

Seb is silent for a moment. "Oh. Me?" she says.

Christian winces and rubs at his temple. He wants to shout, Yes, you! and shake some sense into her, because Seb was born to breathe petrol fumes and burn rubber. If the Earth has a maker, He made Seb to fit inside carbon-fibre cockpits and guzzle champagne and gloat from the top step of the podium.

"I don't know, Christian," says Seb. "Those cars are terrible for nature."

"Just--" Christian pinches the bridge of his nose. "Just think about it. We can--probably work something out."

Seb hums and mutters something non-committal, and then she goes on chattering in Christian's ear. Christian stays on the line while he goes about his daily chores on the farm, if only for something sweet to listen to.

[cecoeur]

About your tags on this: https://www.tumblr.com/cecoeur/761327675397865472?source=share From what I know it's just the same old, same old info because of the leaked deadline. It might be that Red Bull does have an idea but this idea that it's all decided because of the looming deadline doesn't seem true to me. I think the key is that he says "basically" which means that it's not actually decided but he's trying to frame it as insider info that no one's ever posted before for clicks 😂

people gotta put food on the table and sometimes saying what is obvious is the way to do it (I wish that was me!). I get that he has to say it but I think after the summer break fiasco, Daniel's team is playing it close to the vest. Perhaps they got burned by being a little too loud...a feeling Ric Nation is also familiar with.

I think things probably are decided to an extent but might not be fully executed and until an official announcement is made things can absolutely change. I do think its interesting that we're starting to hear rumblings about the Audi/Sauber seat. It feels like the common thought process was they were waiting to see how the RBR stuff played out to see who might be available from that but the door on that option seems to be closed now?