Chapter Text
Lando splashed some cold water on his face, trying to calm his nerves after the chaotic end to the Las Vegas race. He couldn't believe it - he was so close to winning the championship, only to have it slip through his fingers in the final laps. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the garage, immediately surrounded by a swarm of reporters and camera crews.
"Lando! Lando! What happened out there? Did you win or not?" they shouted, microphones thrust in his face.
Lando puffed out his chest and put on his most confident smile. "What happened? I'll tell you what happened - I happened! I was leading that race until my tire decided to blow out on me. But make no mistake, I was the winner today. The others may have crossed the line on the same time, but I'm the real champion here."
His race team behind him just shook their heads in exasperation, muttering under their breath as they walked away, leaving Lando to deal with the media alone.
Suddenly, Carlos Sainz and Lance Stroll approached Lando, the two drivers who had also been battling for the win. "Hey Norris, that was a pretty gutsy drive out there," Carlos said, a hint of respect in his voice. "But you can't keep acting so arrogant, you know. It's not a good look."
Lando scoffed. "Oh please, Sainz. As if you have any room to talk. You may have won many Grand Prix, but I was the one running circles around you the whole race. A tie is impossible, right? I'm the champion here."
Lance chimed in, "Uh, Norris, I hate to break it to you, but they're saying it's a tie between the three of us. They're going to have a special tiebreaker race next weekend in Florida."
Lando's eyes went wide. "A tie?! No way, that can't be right. I was in the lead!" He turned and stormed off towards the media pen, Carlos and Lance trailing behind him.
As Lando approached the gaggle of reporters, the officials were just announcing the news of the tie and the upcoming tiebreaker event in Florida. Lando felt his face flush with embarrassment as the journalists fired questions at him.
"Lando, how do you feel about this unexpected twist? Are you confident you can still come out on top in the tiebreaker?"
"Do you think this is fair, given your clear dominance in the race today?"
"What's your strategy going to be for the Florida event? Can you capitalize on your previous performance?"
Lando opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. He hadn't expected this, and the idea of having to race against Carlos and Lance again next weekend was galling. He was the best driver out there - how dare they call this a tie?
Sensing Lando's discomfort, Carlos stepped forward. "Look, we all gave it our all out there today. It's going to be an exciting tiebreaker race, and may the best driver win. I'm just honored to be competing against these two talents."
Lance nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Lando, you drove an incredible race, and I have no doubt you'll be ready to give it your all next weekend. May the best man win."
Lando scowled, hating that his rivals were trying to be so gracious. "Well, I don't need your sympathy," he snapped. "I'm going to win that tiebreaker race, plain and simple. This is my championship to win."
The reporters seemed to sense Lando's rising frustration, and they quickly shifted their attention to the other drivers. Lando took the opportunity to make a hasty exit, pushing past the media and toward the McLaren motorhome.
As he stormed through the paddock, Lando's eyes landed on his race engineer, who was standing with the rest of the team. "What the hell is going on?" Lando demanded. "How did this turn into a tie?"
The engineer sighed. "Lando, the data doesn't lie. You, Carlos, and Lance all crossed the line within milliseconds of each other. It was too close to call. The stewards had no choice but to declare it a tie."
Lando shook his head in disbelief. "No, no, no. This can't be happening. I had that race in the bag! How dare they take that away from me?"
The engineer tried to reason with him. "Look, Lando, I know you're frustrated, but you need to keep your cool. The tiebreaker race is your chance to prove yourself once and for all. If you go in with this kind of attitude, you're only going to hurt your chances."
Lando opened his mouth to argue, but before he could, his PR manager appeared at his side. "Lando, there you are. The fans are waiting for you in the fan zone. We need you to go out there and say a few words."
Lando groaned. "Do I have to? I just want to get out of here and start preparing for this stupid tiebreaker."
The PR manager gave him a stern look. "Yes, you have to. This is part of your job, Lando. The fans deserve to hear from you, win or lose. Now come on, they're waiting."
Lando reluctantly allowed himself to be led towards the fan zone, where hundreds of cheering spectators were waving banners and holding up their phones. As he stepped into the enclosed area, the crowd erupted in applause and shouts of his name.
Lando plastered on a fake smile and took the microphone that was handed to him. "Uh, hi everyone. Thanks for, um, coming out today. It was, uh, a wild race, that's for sure." He paused, glancing around nervously. "But, uh, I'm looking forward to the tiebreaker next weekend in Florida. I'm gonna give it my all and, uh, bring home the championship for you all."
The fans roared their approval, and Lando quickly passed the microphone back to his PR manager. "There, I did it. Can I go now?"
The PR manager shook her head. "Not yet. Stay and take some pictures with the fans. They love you, Lando. You need to appreciate that."
Lando groaned but obliged, pasting on a smile as he posed for selfies and signed autographs. The whole time, his mind was racing, already focused on the tiebreaker race and how he was going to crush his rivals.
Finally, he was able to escape the fan zone and make his way back to the McLaren motorhome. As he entered, he found the rest of the team already gathered for the debrief meeting. All eyes turned to him as he took his seat.
The engineers wasted no time in dissecting Lando's performance from the Las Vegas race, and they did not hold back in their criticism. "Your tire management was abysmal, Lando. You were pushing those tires to the limit, and it cost you the win."
"And what was that about the media? You can't keep acting so arrogant, you know. It's not a good look for the team."
Lando sat there, seething, as the engineers roasted him. He knew they were right, but his pride wouldn't let him admit it. Finally, he turned to the McLaren CEO, Zak Brown, who had been observing the meeting silently.
"Look, can we just get out of here and head to Florida early? I need to get back on that track and prove I'm the real champion."
Zak nodded. "Sure, Lando. Take the team with you if you want to get some extra practice in before the tiebreaker." Lando didn't need to be told twice. He quickly headed to the McLaren transporter, ready to get back on the track and show the world who the true champion was.
As the transporter pulled away, Lando settled into the back of the car, already mentally preparing for the challenge ahead. This tiebreaker was his chance to silence the doubters and cement his status as the best driver on the grid. He couldn't wait.