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Chapter Text

Death will destroy my body, but my creatures will keep on living ever after, in the years to come.

— Enzo Ferrari

The Scuderia Ferrari is by far the most successful team in Formula One. With 29 constructor and 26 driver titles as of 2018, they’re way ahead of other teams. They have the most pole positions, the most points, the highest number of fastest laps. But as if that isn’t enough— they’re the only team with over a thousand race starts, the only team that has been with Formula One since the beginning. 

They’ve never been renamed, rebranded, always staying true to their spirit. The founding father, Enzo Ferrari, has created a never tiring monster, always coming back for more. More points, more wins, more glory. 

Their utter domination throughout the years is something to be admired and desired. So many teams wish to achieve fame and glory similar to Ferrari, but they will never be able to. Not only because they’re so good, oh no. It’s also their fans. The fanatic belief of the Tifosi, the mechanics and drivers themselves— the Scuderia Ferrari has a touch of insanity to them, the belief in the Prancing Horse so strong, it could almost be a religion. 

For Italians and Tifosi all around the world, Ferrari is holy. And to an extent, every Ferrari driver is to be treated the same. Respectful, but also crazed within their vicinity. Ferrari is their religion, their life, their dream. They live their slogan, Essere Ferrari , the old generations and the new ones. 

So when Ferrari announces the signing of Charles Leclerc, one of the most promising young talents to ever enter their academy, the Tifosi and all of Ferrari know— this one will be a proper Ferrari Champion. 

It’s the greatest honor within Formula One to drive with the Prancing Horse on your chest, to race beneath Ferrari’s banner, to bring home victories to the giant within Motorsport. Not only is it the greatest honor, it is also the greatest goal for many drivers. A dream they work forward to, their entire lives, anything to say they’re a Ferrari Driver. 

Some do it for recognition, some for the fame that comes with being signed with Ferrari. Others do it, because with Ferrari you have the highest chance for your career to take off. But most wish to drive for Ferrari, because they believe . They believe in Enzo Ferrari’s legacy, in the blessing that seems to graze every passionate driver.

They give so much for Ferrari, their faith, passion, their whole lifes and they get rewarded. Within the grid, it’s well known, you give to Ferrari and Ferrari gives you back. What exactly, besides wins and championships, no one truly knows. 

No one besides the Ferrari drivers. The proper ones, the ones who truly believe. It’s not all of them, but still an admirable amount. 

And one of them is Charles Leclerc. 

He is the embodiment of Essere Ferrari , the future champion clad in red. Still so young, and yet he’s ready to do everything for this team, and not only because of his own glory. Oh no, he wants to win and only win with Ferrari. He hungers for it, like any Ferrari Champion before him. 

It happens the first time he’s in his race car. His car, because there is his number on it and he has signed the contract months ago, it’s his to drive in the upcoming season. 

It happens when they’re in the middle of unofficial testing. He’s warming his tires, slowly increasing his speed until he’s actually ready to start a proper lap on the Fiorano Circuit when a wave of adrenaline surges over him. His eyesight suddenly sharpens and he feels everything even better. 

There you go , someone whispers in his ear and Charles almost breaks in the middle of the curve he’s tackling. 

No need to panic, bambino , another one tries to calm him, but it does the opposite. He fumbles with his radio, asking Xavi if he said anything. But Xavi only denies in confusion, asking him if he heard anything. 

“No, no, all good”, Charles stutters and wants to shake his head. But he’s going too fast for that and he can’t stop his session, just because he started to hear voices. 

You will give him a heart attack , grumbles yet another one, and Charles is pretty sure that’s Kimi. Why would he imagine hearing him?

Just continue to drive , soothes Seb and he can’t help but nod. We will talk later, I will hold those rascals off. Charles feels a pat on his shoulder, oddly heavy and yet still light, and he can’t help but shudder. 

We’re not rascals!

Fer, if you don’t shut your stupid mouth— Charles blinks the voices away and focuses on driving. He sets a new record. 

When he finally climbs out of his car, having completed almost sixty laps, Xavi ushers him to the showers. He has some hours for himself, until Seb is done with his testing and the engineers sit together to brood over the data. 

You did well , says yet another voice out of nowhere and Charles jumps. He turns his head and gapes at Michael Schumacher standing right next to him. The German is in his own red racing suit, with his cap from 2006. He doesn’t look quite real, Charles can still see the wall behind the World Champion through him, and yet he can make out every detail. 

Charles gapes, then rubs on his eyes, only to lift his head when someone chuckles. 

Felipe Massa stands next to Michael and shakes his head fondly. 

It is always the same , the Brazilian says and Michael agrees with a nod. 

At least he’s not screaming, like—

You should go to your room, talking to air is not a very good look on your first day at work , interrupts Kimi, who appeared next to the German. 

Charles just nods dazed, slowly trotting towards his drivers room, followed by a group of former Ferrari Drivers. 

“So, uhm… could you explain? I do not want to think I’m insane”, says Charles and scratches his neck, after he closes the door. 

Sit , demands Kimi and points towards the sofa. Charles follows obediently and then looks around. More drivers have appeared, every Ferrari World Champion present, with a few other drivers. Charles knows each of them by the name, as any proper Ferrari Driver would.

Charles, you know well, as any other racer out there, how special Ferrari is , begins Michael and Charles automatically nods. 

We have the most Championships, constructors and drivers, we have the most points, the richest history, because Ferrari is much more than just a team, more than a Scuderia. It’s a legacy, the legacy of Enzo Ferrari. A legacy of faith and glory, and with each generation, this legacy only grows stronger… We are the legacy, created by Enzo, and we will forever be his. We will live as long as Ferrari continues racing, says Michael.

And we all know Ferrari will never stop racing , interrupts Fernando, only to earn a glare from Michael. Seb, having settled next to his fellow German Driver, sighs. 

We will also kick you out if you don’t let Michael continue. Charles just looks with wide eyes as Kimi threatens the Spaniard, only for him to snicker and give him the middle finger. 

Men children , Alberto Ascari mutters and Charles subtly pinches himself. Yes, he feels the pain but all of this seems so absurd—

Faith , Michael starts again, and dreams are something incredible. Enzo had faith, in his legacy, in his drivers, but he also had dreams. With him, everything started, and any Ferrari Driver with similar beliefs followed his footsteps. Every driver you see here , more faces flicker into the room, but disappear again, as if they’re only here to prove their existence. 

Every driver you see here, has given to Ferrari and Ferrari has given them something back. We are here to guide the ones who follow the Spirit of Ferrari, the ones who are worthy to carry Enzo’s approval. A heavy silence falls over the room. 

The former Ferrari Drivers don’t utter a single word as Charles tries to process what just happened. He had always known that Ferrari is something special, but to think...

Sudden movement snaps him out of his daze and he sees how each of the Drivers respectfully part way. His eyes widen when he recognizes the person materializing in his crammed driver room.

And you, Charles Leclerc, are worthy to carry my name. 

Chapter Text

The best way to predict the future is to create it.  

— Enzo Ferrari

Charles settles in, driving for the most legendary team and having a big group of spirits follow him around. He first calls them ghosts, and some were offended, telling him they’re so much better than that. He will never forget how he tried to apologize, stumbling over his English, then switching over to Italian, only to hear the teasing snickers of the Spirits. 

It’s also a bit odd, having the Spirit of Seb sticking close while the real Seb is his teammate. They tell him that Seb doesn’t see them, he only hears whispers sometimes and has often Déjà-vus, guided by the former Drivers. 

Seb believes , tells him Fernando. Just like I did and so many others. But no one has ever believed as much as you do, Charles.

Charles is flustered by it, the fact he’s the first one who can actively communicate with the Spirits. But he tries to leave his embarrassment behind, instead following the guiding hands of World Champions and Race Winners. 

The ones who surround him the most are definitely Michael, Fernando, Alberto and Alain. And Seb is only around him in private, with the real Seb nowhere near. The rest disappears for hours within Ferrari, following handpicked mechanics and engineers, while others stick to their selected drivers and teams. There seems to be no rhythm or structure behind it, yet when they come back, they always whisper the most fascinating things into his ears. 

Racing Point are a pink copy from Mercedes… now if they would only have better drivers…

Red Bull is at war… your friend will not survive Verstappen. 

They are raising a monster… he will have many teammates until they find someone ready to play second fiddle. 

Wolff has tightened his control over Mercedes, he will not have a repeat of 2016. 

Ah, and did you know? He has placed Bottas under contract, that sly fox.

The constant flow of gossip only grows, when the season officially starts.

You must decide on how to portray yourself , Michael says one evening, a mere week away from the pre-season testing in Barcelona. Charles has been going over his notes and data, his table a mess of several notebooks and other papers. The Spirits tend to leave him alone for that, only sometimes they drop a helpful comment without him asking for it. 

“What do you mean?”, he asks, raising his head to look at the German. Michael is as always in his race suit, with his red cap, like every other driver. The elder is clearly looking at his notes and has a thoughtful look on his face. 

We have noticed how much the Media matters these days. And its importance is only increasing , he tells Charles. It’s so different from my days or even further back, so you have to be prepared well.

And not to mention, with Netflix making the documentary , continues Seb, who just appeared. Charles has gotten used to it, but he still thinks the Spirits try to scare him just for fun. 

Public opinion will matter more and more. Yours and Ferrari’s sponsors depend on it , says Michael. 

“I already received PR training in the Academy”, Charles tells them, but they must already know that. “Is that not enough?” 

Maybe it is, but you must think of the future. You now have foundations, but you will grow. Your strength and your own legacy will grow, together with this sport. Michael pauses for a bit. 

We have discussed it for some days , says Seb. Of course we will not force you to do what we say, but with our experience, we think we have created the best plan. 

“Alright”, Charles says and closes his notebook. “Tell me what you have planned.”

After the several hour long talk with Michael and Seb, and a few drivers who popped up for a few minutes to add their own part, Charles is ready for bed. He had assumed, when Seb said that they had a plan, it would be one that is very linear, easy to follow. But of course, nothing is ever easy with Ferrari. Which is one of the many reasons why he even loves this team so much. 

The Spirits want him to dabble in other fields, ranging from Social Media to the entertainment industry. They believe, with the increased attention to Formula One thanks to the Documentary and the bigger Media coverage, that Charles will be one of the centric figures in the sport. 

Not only because he’s a Ferrari Driver, but also because of his looks. He will forever be mortified when Fernando told him with a cheeky smile that he has a sellable face and body, telling him to use it for his own good. 

He is to become a Lewis Hamilton, only better. His fame expanding outside of the Motorsport World, something that is much easier than decades ago. 

But for that he has to build his own team, one that is hired and paid by him, loyal to only him and no one else. He already knows that Joris will play a big part in that. 

As for now, he will focus on the preseason-testing and the first race in a Ferrari race car, and then slowly start building his team that will be with him for years. 

Chapter Text

The Ferrari is a dream - people dream of owning this special vehicle and for most people it will remain a dream apart from those lucky few. 

— Enzo Ferrari

Charles is put into the media conference with the Rookies of the 2019 season. While he isn’t a Rookie this year, it’s his first race with Ferrari, after having only raced one year in Formula One, so the FIA must’ve thought them quite smart to add him to the Rookie group. 

Alex and George seem fairly calm, if only a bit nervous for their first big live press conference. Lando on the other hand can’t seem to sit still. If it weren’t for Michael’s calming presence right next to him, he would become nervous as well. 

Instead he listens to whatever Michael has to say, the German driver pointing to a few journalists and other people in the room he still knows from his time or has heard about them. It’s good to know seemingly useless information, but Charles has learnt that any information about people is good information. 

It gives you a higher ground, an advantage over others, simply because you know them better than they know you. And considering he has a small army of Spirits right by his side,  always willing to tell him more— dirty little secrets and illegal decisions being made, he probably has the biggest advantage over everyone. 

“So, question for all the new drivers, how is it to see someone your age driving for such a legendary team as Leclerc?” Charles stills at the question, puts a soft smile on his face and waits for the answer. He knows exactly what this person wants— a headline, something to pit his friends against him. While they’re not close, they’ve grown up together, shared laughter and tears, wins and losses and they understand each other well. Everyone, who has done research on them, knows this. And Charles knows for a fact that this foolish man knows this as well. 

“Ah well”, starts Alex, almost hesitant. “I think it’s really admirable, Charles has signed with the team that is for most of us a dream or well, the goal? I for one would love to drive for Ferrari, I won’t speak for the others here, but yeah! I’m just happy I got a seat this year and am able to share this with people close to me.” 

“I’m the same!”, Lando laughs without any care, while George leans back, not intending to answer this question. 

“Charles has done really well last year in that Sauber, so I’m quite happy to see him in a better team! And I have to admit, I'm a bit jealous, it’s Ferrari after all, but I already love it at McLaren… so yeah!” Charles wants to grimace. He can already see the headlines where they say Lando has talked shit about Sauber, how he’s jealous and wishes he would have the Ferrari seat… just because he’s saying somewhat right words, doesn’t mean he doesn’t have to mind his tone. But as if that wasn’t enough, Lando continues to speak.

“McLaren could win a WDC soon, I reckon”, then Lando turns towards him, grinning widely. “Gonna bring the trophy from Italy to Woking, what do ya say, mate? Paint it orange and all that.” Charles just raises his eyebrow. He just did not say that. 

Oh, that stupid boy… Fernando mutters next to him, staring at the Brit as if he’s missing his brain cells.

Already knew Rookies are crazy, but I think he’s a different breed, mutters Seb and can only shake his head. Michael only sighs. 

The disrespect , hisses Alberto. Italy? ITALY? It’s Maranello, where the trophy stands, you british testa di cazzo—

Charles tunes the hissing Spirits out and only answers mildly to Lando’s insult. 

“Well, I reckon that maybe McLaren needs a win first, Norris.” Then he turns back to the reporters, smiles at them as if Lando just didn’t fuck up and gestures for the next question.

FORZA CHARLES @marianne1616 12h

mr lando norris just did NOT drag ferrari through the mud and say mclaren has wdc potential… someone check if this boy possesses a brain. ferrari literally won the wdc last year???? did he even see his own pre-testing numbers?????

3.2K Replies | 1.7K Retweets | 98.5K Likes

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mclaren’s dni! @farreriferrari5 12h

have you seen george’s face? at least this brit knows lando just committed a crime LMAO

2 Replies | 6 Retweets | 53 Likes

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sebchal <3 @forzaferrari516 12h

i have no idea how these three rookies passed the pr test. george hasn’t fucked up that badly yet because no one really wants to talk to a racer in a williams but the other two?? my god… at least charles knows how to do his job (to not insult other teams and their performances so blatantly) 

3 Replies | 2 Retweets | 32 Likes

Well , comments Fernando the following evening. McLaren really doesn’t do anything for the brains. The Spirit is leaning over Charles’ shoulder, noisily reading the many tweets about the press conference today. 

You should know , snarks Kimi back. 

I actually don’t. This Spirit has never signed for McLaren. Charles eyes how the Spaniard turns his nose up at the other Ferrari Champion, only for that one to snicker. 

You both drove for McLaren though , coughs Seb and the two immediately glare at him. He just raises his hands with a smirk. Sometimes they’re worse than children.

McLaren is not amused , says Mario, who appeared mere seconds ago. Well, Zak is, but you know how this asshat is. The rest of McLaren wants to tape Norris’ mouth shut for the rest of the weekend. 

He deserves it , grumbles Kimi. Despite his nonchalance, he is very protective of Ferrari and especially in its Pride. To be insulted by a McLaren driver and a Rookie on top of that… well, he hasn’t been amused the past few hours.

Even if he ever wishes to be a driver for Ferrari, they will never forget this , says Michael suddenly and silence falls over the hotel room. He’s right, because the Tifosi and the Team never forget. Especially not an insult like this. 

It’s not even the fact that a McLaren driver challenged Ferrari like this. Oh no, it’s the way he had done it. As a Rookie, who hadn’t even driven a whole race weekend, everything he said was nothing but empty talk. But he had said it without respecting Ferrari as challengers, not bothering mentioning their home or even acknowledging their win last season. 

It would be another thing if he could actually deliver this weekend , continues Andrinetti, distracting Charles from his own thoughts. But the way the car is looking right now? He won’t have a good season, I tell you that. 

“So no need to worry about him?”

As long as you don’t open your mouth like he did, you’re fine , reassures Michael and Charles can’t help but smile at that.