20 cars zoomed around the circuit as it was the final lap of the Australian Grand Prix.
The opening race of the 2025 Formula One season.
The
grandstands were packed, the crowd on their feet as engines screamed through the Melbourne air.
Cameras followed every battle across the track, capturing the tension of the final moments.
24 year old Callum Wright was currently running in 12th place in his Alpine.
He had spent most of the race fighting in the midfield, pushing the car as hard as he could while managing tires and energy deployment.
His helmet hid his focused expression as his eyes stayed locked on the car ahead.
His teammate and childhood friend, 21 year old Oliver Bennett, was sitting back in 17th place. Oliver had struggled with pace throughout the race, stuck in traffic and unable to make much progress.
Still, he kept pushing, determined to finish the race cleanly.
Callum was battling Esteban Ocon, who was driving for Haas.
The two had been swapping positions earlier in the race, neither willing to give an inch.
Every braking zone felt like a gamble, every corner a test of nerve.
"The final lap of the 2025 Australian Grand Prix is underway as Max Verstappen has a 5.4 second lead over Oscar Piastri who is in second,"
the commentator shouted with excitement as the cameras briefly cut to the front of the field.
Anyway, back to Callum.
As he approached turn 6, Callum activated his DRS.
His finger flicked the button almost instinctively, years of training taking over.
He knew this was likely his last real chance to gain a position before the checkered flag.
Callum made his move.
The track was very dry, with no rain having fallen in the last seven days.
Grip levels were high, and the racing line was clean, allowing drivers to push with confidence.
Tire temperatures were in the perfect window.
Callum was dead silent inside his loud pink car.
Despite the noise of the engine and the roar of the crowd, his mind was calm and focused.
He measured his braking points and throttle inputs carefully.
With DRS open on the straight, Callum pulled alongside Ocon.
The Alpine surged forward, its engine screaming as it gained speed.
For a brief moment, the two cars were perfectly level.
Callum zoomed past Ocon, completing the overtake cleanly.
He tucked back onto the racing line, heart pounding as he checked his mirrors.
For a second, it felt like the move might stick.
However, the fight was not over.
The cars once again ran close together as they approached turn 14.
Ocon activated his own DRS, using the slipstream to his advantage.
The Haas gained speed rapidly.
Ocon zoomed past the English driver before the braking zone, reclaiming the position.
There was nothing Callum could do without risking contact. Ocon crossed the line in P11, just ahead.
The head engineer of Alpine came over the radio as Callum took the checkered flag.
"P11, P11, P11, good finish mate," the engineer said, his voice filled with approval.
Callum sighed inside his helmet.
Despite finishing outside the points, it was still a solid result for the opening race of the season.
The car had shown promise, and the team had data to build on.
"Teammate finished P17," the engineer continued.
Callum acknowledged the message with a quick response, already cooling down the car on the in lap.
He guided the Alpine back toward the pit lane, exhaustion beginning to set in.
The final race standings were as follows.
1 Max Verstappen
2 Oscar Piastri
3 Lando Norris
4 George Russell
5 Nico Hulkenberg
6 Carlos Sainz
7 Kimi Antonelli
8 Charles Leclerc
9 Oliver Bearman
10 Yuki Tsunoda
11 Esteban Ocon
12 Callum Wright
13 Lance Stroll
14 Alonso
15 Alexander Albon
16 Isack Hadjar
17 Oliver Bennett
18 Liam Lawson
19 Lewis Hamilton Dnf
20 Gabriel Bortoleto
After stopping in the pits, Callum exited his car and removed his helmet.
The heat immediately hit him as he stood up. Moments later, Oliver joined him, climbing out of his own car nearby.
"That was one hell of a race," Oliver said as he started the conversation, his voice slightly hoarse from the effort.
Sweat dripped down both drivers' faces as they walked toward the garage.
Their race suits were darkened from heat and exertion, the intensity of the race still lingering.
"Lewis Dnf, that was kinda funny.
I mean come on, in his first race for Ferrari," Oliver said with a gentle chuckle.
He grabbed a white towel and rubbed it across his face and neck.
The towel quickly became stained with sweat, evidence of how demanding the race had been.
"I mean Ferrari hasn't been good in like 10 years,"
Callum replied without hesitation as he grabbed his own towel.
A faint smile crossed his face as he cooled down.
Later, Callum and Oliver boarded their plane back to Enstone, England.
The long flight gave them time to relax and reflect on the weekend.
Outside the window, the sky slowly darkened.
They talked about a number of topics during the journey.
They joked about how bad Lewis looked, laughed about the chaos of the race, and complained about being stuck with what they called a pink lawnmower instead of a proper race car.
Despite the jokes, both knew the season was only just beginning.
They were truly best friends
———
The plane touched the ground smoothly at the airport in Oxford, its tires screeching lightly against the runway as it slowed down.
After hours in the air, the feeling of solid ground brought a quiet sense of relief to both drivers.
The two drivers left the plane shortly after landing, carrying small bags and still wearing relaxed team gear.
They moved through the terminal without much attention before stepping outside, where a car was already waiting for them.
Once inside, they began the drive back to their shared mansion, the countryside slowly passing by the windows.
The drive was calm and uneventful, giving them time to unwind after the intense race weekend.
Neither of them spoke much at first, both enjoying the quiet as the car rolled along familiar roads.
Their home soon came into view.
It was a large two story mansion set back from the road, surrounded by open land. The house stood out immediately with its clean and modern design.
The mansion was entirely white, its walls bright even under the cloudy sky.
A dim black roof sat neatly on top, giving the building a sharp contrast that made it look sleek and expensive.
Large windows lined the exterior, reflecting the light as the car pulled into the driveway.
Inside, the mansion was spacious and well organized.
It contained two offices, one for each of them, where they could review data, plan races, or simply have quiet time to themselves.
The rooms were minimal but functional, designed for focus.
There were three bathrooms spread throughout the house, each modern and clean.
The four bedrooms were roomy and comfortable, offering plenty of space to rest between races and travel.
Everything in the house felt carefully chosen, more practical than flashy.
In the basement was a small man cave, a place where both drivers spent a lot of their free time. The space was designed for relaxation and competition at the same time.
They had two PCs set up side by side, each built for high performance.
Next to them were two full sim racing setups, complete with steering wheels, pedals, and racing seats.
It was where they trained, competed against each other, and stayed sharp even when they were not at the track.
They also had a PS5 and an Xbox in the basement, connected to a large screen for casual gaming.
It was a way to unwind and forget about lap times and strategies for a while.
In the basement there was also a large bathroom, making the space fully self contained.
It allowed them to spend hours downstairs without needing to go back up.
The mansion was more than just a house.
It was a place built around their lives as drivers, blending comfort, focus, and escape all in one.
The first couple races went well
——-
The pink Alpine zoomed past the finish line in China as the race came to an end.
The heat shimmered above the track as the cars completed their final laps.
The grandstands were loud as the checkered flag waved.
Lando Norris finished first, controlling the race from the front when it mattered most.
His pace had been strong all weekend, and he converted it into a well earned victory.
Oliver finished the race in P9.
It was a solid drive for him, staying out of trouble and bringing the car home inside the top ten.
He was not ecstatic, but he was satisfied with the result.
Callum finished the race in P14.
He had struggled with balance throughout the race and never quite found the rhythm he needed.
Still, he finished and gathered more experience with the car.
Soon after, a plane flew into Japan, carrying the paddock to the next stop on the calendar.
The atmosphere changed completely as the teams prepared for another challenging circuit.
Max won the race in Japan after a dominant performance.
He controlled the pace and never looked under pressure from start to finish.
Oliver finished the race in P18.
It was a rough weekend for him, with traffic and poor luck keeping him stuck near the back.
He crossed the line frustrated but accepting of the result.
Callum finished in P10, managing to score a single point.
He drove consistently and avoided mistakes, taking advantage of others' issues ahead of him.
It was a decent start to the season for Alpine overall.
Across the first three races, the team managed to pick up three points.
Now came the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The heat was intense, and tire management played a huge role throughout the race.
George Russell won that race after a strong and controlled drive.
He kept his rivals behind and managed the conditions perfectly.
Oliver finished in P7, earning valuable points for the team.
It was one of his better performances so far, showing confidence and pace.
Callum finished in P11, just missing out on points.
He fought hard in the midfield but could not quite break into the top ten by the end.
Next was the Saudi Arabia race, held under the lights on the fast street circuit.
The walls felt close, and mistakes were heavily punished.
Oscar Piastri won the race, delivering a flawless performance.
He led when it counted and kept his car clean through the narrow sections.
Oliver finished in P16 after a difficult race.
He struggled to find overtaking opportunities and lost time in traffic.
Callum finished in P17, dealing with similar issues.
The pace simply was not there, and both drivers knew it.
Then came the god awful track known as Miami. The heat was brutal, and the circuit felt awkward and unforgiving.
Max won the race in Miami, once again showing his dominance.
He controlled the race from the front without much challenge.
Oliver finished in P6, putting together an impressive drive.
He managed his tires well and made key overtakes when it mattered.
Callum finished in P9, also scoring points.
It was one of the better weekends for both Alpine drivers.
Back at their home in Oxford, the two drivers were finally able to relax.
"Bro you suck so much at pool," Oliver said, laughing as he looked down at the table.
He had already sunk four of his solid balls with ease.
Callum had only managed to get one striped ball into a pocket so far.
He stood quietly on the opposite side of the table, staring at the layout.
Callum stayed silent as he lined up the big wooden pool stick.
He bent down carefully, aiming the white ball with focus.
He smashed the shot.
The white ball crashed into the seven striped ball. That ball hit the wall hard, rebounded, and then knocked the three striped ball cleanly into a hole.
For a brief moment, it looked like a miracle shot.
Then suddenly, the eight ball started rolling.
The eight ball slowly made its way toward the pocket and dropped in.
"FUCK. FUCKKKKKK," Callum shouted as he realized what had just happened.
He had completely lost the game in the worst way possible.
Oliver smiled wide and burst out laughing, unable to hold it back.
He leaned on the pool table, enjoying the moment.
These two really were super duper best friends, always competing, always messing with each other, no matter how the season was going.
Soon after, the paddock arrived at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
The atmosphere was intense, with fans packed into the grandstands.
It was a very close race, with Max leading most of it and controlling the pace from the front.
Pressure stayed high throughout the field.
During the third to last lap, Max and Lando got into a crash.
The incident shocked everyone and completely changed the outcome of the race.
In the chaos, Charles Leclerc overtook Nico Hülkenberg.
The positions shifted rapidly as cars scrambled through the debris.
Now the top three were clear.
Charles Leclerc in first.
Nico Hülkenberg in second.
Oscar Piastri in third.
Oliver finished in an amazing P4. It was one of the best results of his career so far, and he was thrilled as he crossed the line.
However, his teammate was not as lucky.
Callum had an issue with his gearbox during the race.
Callum was forced to retire and ended his race classified in P22.
He sat in the car for a moment before climbing out, clearly angry.
"Fuck yeah baby," Oliver said as he ran over and hugged Callum, still buzzing from his result.
"Only if my fuck ass gearbox worked properly," Callum snapped back, his frustration obvious as he pulled off his gloves.
Oliver wiped his face with his towel, the excitement slowly settling.
"Remember, next we have Monaco," Oliver said as he looked at Callum with a intense glare
END OF CHAPTER 1
Thank you all for checking out this story, if there is any questions, concerns or just any spelling or grammar errors please do not hesitate to comment something.
This is the first out of 7 or 8 chapters (I might combine chapters 6 and 7)
I also wish to do weekly chapters but I'm unsure yet
Anyway, I'm going to bed because it's 2am
Bye for now