Chapter Text
2026
Two men walk down the busy paddock, reporters, sky, paparazzi and fans flooded the area all over the men. One coated in the red so sacred to him, the other dressed in a navy that had chosen him when everyone doubted his potential.
“I wouldn’t worry about you the ferrari is quick this year” Max chirps at Charles doubting face, the man had been ranting for ten minutes about if his team is going to mess up the strategy again. “But you know how they work! Once the car gets quick the team goes slower!” the brunette screams and he flails his hands everywhere. “Or what if i get taken out by another driver! What if Oscar decides to take someone down with him if his car fails again?!” It was at this point Max decided to leave Charles with someone else to convince the panicking man that he has the potential to win the race, so Max choses the smartest person he knows to solve his problem.
”Carlos! Help me please! Your ex-teammate will not stop panicking about even completing the race and I need to plan for my own tragedy” the dutchman cries knowing that the car has little change and will likely fail on him again. Carlos just stands there face full of disappointment and dread as Max bolts away to freedom, escaping the whining man. “Hermano, please calm down” he begs trying to calm down his friend “Im sure you will do good! I mean you have one of the best cars, a good teammate and the talent! Just think look at Mclaren they can barely start a race.” Charles pauses for a moment deep in thought his face going through various emotions. “You’re right!” He shouts and sprints out the Williams garage towards the red he calls home. The spaniard jus stares in the direction Charles ran, confused and concerned about what he could be up to.
Kimi and George are sat in their own garage receiving yet another lecture from Toto about driving to their fullest potential now they have a fast car. The two Mercedes drivers sit in silence, George looking at Toto as if he held all the answers to every question he wanted and Kimi sat in boredom with a wish to just get in the car and drive. Once Toto eventually ends his meeting the teen disappears to go meet up with the rest of the grid, mainly the other 2025 rookies and Arvid. “Hey Kimi!” greets Ollie Bearman waving as the boy in black and teal catches up to the group. “So has anyone felt something weird today? There’s a strange feeling throughout the grid no one choses to accept” Isack finally admits with everyone else nodding in agreement. “I could tell George felt something, he kept checking behind his back as if someone was watching him. “Definitely suspicious…” Kimi adds. “I can’t say anything about Nico though, the man acts like everything is fine and normal.” Gabriel says, the whole group now turned to look at him as they now have a flaw in their theories.
”What if he refuses to accept it?” Franco speaks up, “I mean I’ve definitely seen it in Pierre, the man just sits with a bouncing knee and pale face all day. I mean like when we had a first race, that type of fear.” A small murmur begins to come from the group, theories and predictions coming from everyone. “Maybe we should confront one of the other drivers?” Suggests Arvid, “get them to confront what is going on.” The idea starts a debate on which driver to ask until they all decide on the wisest driver they could possibly ask and thats how one rookie and five ex-rookies end up in Lewis Hamilton’s driver room.
”I have no idea what you kids are on about?” Lewis says puzzled watching the group. “How?! I mean have you not seen it in the other drivers? Have you not felt…i don’t know off?” Kimi cries in disbelief. A look of recognition slowly fills Lewis’ face. “Now you say-“ he begins until he is cut off by a very disheveled Charles Leclerc bursting into his drivers room. All eyes turn to the second man is red as he pulls his hair with wilded eyes. “Lewis! I have spoke to everyone and like 90% of most drivers agree there is something weird going on! I am not going crazy! There is something strange happening why do you not feel it?! Is it you?” the Monegasque screams slowly taking in the extra faces in the room, feeling heat rush to his face. “Well there you go kids someone who relates. Now can we please not do this in my room please?” Lewis states as he pushes the strange group out of his room and collapses onto a lone couch in the corner. “The good old grid curse…”
After a while of discussion and rallying, a group of fourteen out of twenty two drivers are standing in a room all shouting over one another trying to solve the mystery if what is going on in the paddock. It doesnt take long for a very annoyed George Russell to stand up and silence everyone. “Everyone quiet down! Surely the only way to work this out is find out the one thing we all share in common to know why this is happening to us specifically and no one else!” The Brit shouts, which makes everyone think throwing out ideas. “Uhhhmm” “We- hm” “I got it! No i don’t…” “Hold up…” begins Lando looking around the room at the group. “Now i may not be the smartest but…their is one thing we all share in common” Now the whole room stares to look at the reigning world champion, George nodding his head begging the man to continue before everyone loses their minds. “None of us raced before 2016 and i was speaking to Max recently and he was just explaining about this ‘Grid Curse’ but it’s Max just ranting on so I didn’t think too much of it. What if thats it?!” Lando declares like he found a groundbreaking discovery (which to be fair wasn’t entirely wrong). But that was when it started, the nausea from Lance or the dizziness from Oscar. The whole room felt thicker, like something was definitely happening and then it was silence.
2016-Belgium (Spa)
A lone Max Verstappen walks the paddock, kicking stones along the path in frustration. Stupid Ferrari thinking that corner would work. Of course it would fail and now he has finished outside of points with his father mad. Not only that but Max was 2nd in qualifying and ended 11th with his teammate getting pole and Lewis Hamilton somehow ending up on the podium from P21! I mean how bad can Max be to lose so many positions. So a very angry and annoyed Max walks the paddock avoiding his father’s disappointment. It’s only when he see’s something out of the corner of his eye. Actually a large amount of something. Flashes of red, blue and a very neon orange are found in a large group of people. Surely they couldn’t of all snuck onto the grid this part was heavily unknown about! So Max walks towards it to investigate only to come face to face with a group of drivers…however not from this time. “Uhh I don’t think you have permission to be here, even with paddock passes this is restricted for drivers only.” the dutchman begins observing the very confused group.
“Max?”