Chapter Text
2022 Japanese Grand Prix Suzuka Circuit:
Zanka POV:
Up ahead he sees Jabber pull his car up to the P1 spot in parc ferme followed by Noerde, his teammate, in P2. Finally, Zanka in P3 at his home race feeling dejected. P3 isn't bad but it isn't first especially after starting on pole. He crawls out of the cockpit of his car, barely acknowledging his team before making his way to the cooldown room. As they wait in the cooldown room watching race replays, Noerde and Jabber debrief the race but Zanka can't bring himself to even look at Jabber. He's seething not at him, but at himself.
A few moments later Jabber gets pulled by some officials, a part of Zanka hopes it's the FIA investigating him, for his constant recklessness. He hears murmurs subtly trying to eavesdrop without making it noticeable to the hundreds of cameras in the room.
“Am I?” Jabber's voice rings out in the hallway. It catches Zanka by surprise; it's not often that Jabber sounds so unsure.
“Yes” The official says rather urgently, getting more curious as he looks up.
“I am World Champion, are you sure?”
Those words felt like a stab in the heart.
Zanka finally meets Jabber's eyes instinctively before hastily looking away, laser focused on the screen in front of him.
“Yes, hurry to the room” Jabber follows the official to wait in presumably the trophy room, leaving Zanka feeling more devastated than ever.
He has no urge to go up to the podium, to face crowds of hundreds and thousands of people at his home race nonetheless. How did he get here? He was leading the championship in the beginning, his hard work seemed to finally be paying off. It was solidified as the voice rang out.
Ladies and gentleman Jabber Wonger is your 2022 Formula 1 champion. It is mathematically impossible for anyone to outscore him this season. It is still a fierce battle for second and third in the drivers standings.
Second and third, doesn't matter to him, all it means is you're looking ahead to what could have happened.
Jabber POV:
The race was hectic he ended in P1 but he was unsure of the actual points gained due to being under investigation by the FIA. He makes his way to the cooldown room, Noerde following him. Walking in he sees Zanka already sat at the P3 chair, looking spaced out. He wouldn't sugarcoat it, Zanka didn't have a good performance at a home race, rather the later half of the season.
Before he could dwell on it more he gets pulled aside by officials. It's safer to assume the worst that he or his team is being investigated. He was still worn out from the race not really listening until he heard the words, "champion".
“What?”
“You are world champion” the official repeated quite frantically.
Is this really it?
He felt a pair of eyes on him catching a glimpse of Zanka, before he could really process it he was being herded into another room.
Now alone, yet not quite with the camera panned dead on him, reality sunk in. He won his second Formula 1 championship. He should feel ecstatic but it felt like something was missing. He makes his way to the podium, waving and cheering to his team, and the hundreds of thousands of people.
The P1 trophy is heavy in his hand as he raises the trophy up, the crowd erupting below.
A burst of champagne while the booming voice announces,
“Ladies and gentleman Jabber Wonger is your 2022 Formula 1 champion”
He's never felt more empty.