Chapter Text
“ A lot of people criticize Formula 1 as an unnecessary risk. But what would life be like if we only did what was necessary? “ - Niki Lauda (Former Formula 1 Driver).
The adrenaline, the pace - the perfect recipe for making your heart fall further to the bottomless pits of your stomach as you take a sharp corner with the wind behind your tyres. He squinted, checking his right wing mirror, seeing his worst enemy creep up and begin to close the established gap he had worked for the last fifty-seven laps to maintain. It wasn’t fair. The build-up, the communications getting angrier from the team radio and the grip he had on the wheel, it couldn’t get to his head.
“Lee, we told you to pit, stop missing the entry.” Haechan’s voice grew sterner, his breath short and sharp as he watched on the screens displaying Jeno’s car all around their team garage. Haechan bit his lip, trying his best not to show his annoyance on international television.
Jeno pressed his foot further onto the acceleration pedal, he wasn’t going to give this up - if he thought this team he built since he was a teenager was going to think he’d throw this opportunity away so easily, they’d be wrong.
“Huang has a .0023 gap behind Lee.” A voice came from his headphones. Jeno gasped, frantically checking his mirrors, left, right, left, right, lef-
The roar of an engine from the left of him challenged his pace, Jeno freaked, gripping onto the steering wheel. Anytime soon, his enemy would be able to go for the overtake, critically putting into jeopardy Jeno’s current first place. The front wing of a metallic yellow car peaked into his peripheral, edging closer and closer to his blue front wing. He had to lock in, the hairpin turn was coming up and that was when Huang would’ve planned to strike.
And strike he did.
“ So, Jeno, what happened in the last hairpin turn? Did you intentionally give way for Huang to take the lead due to an earlier incident within this year’s championship?” Jeno’s head spun, trying to make sense of the overkill of the interviewer's words. This stupid rivalry had become the only thing he was interviewed about - no longer the praises and questions about his career as a driver, just the malice between two drivers who didn’t know where it all went wrong.
Jeno took a deep breath, “Look Edgar, I went out to race for myself and my team. I followed the communications and unfortunately struggled to defend my position accordingly.” Well, thanks to media training, at least that would keep the peace for now, until he had to go for the driver review.
“Jeno, defending your position?” Haechan gripped his shoulder, guiding him through the paddock amongst the various world journalists trying to snap an interview with a promising formula one driver. “Defending my fucken ass. I know you gave it up to him. I don’t know how you're gonna get yourself out of this one.” Jeno rolled his eyes, the damage was done.
“Whatever.” He mumbled as the friends walked into the team garage to the stares of frustration by the pit crew and fellow engineers who desperately wanted to hold that trophy. Jeno was used to all of the eyes on him, and not having them on him didn’t make it anymore easier. He had a reputation, this unspeakable aura that held hundreds of people’s livelihoods on his back - now that, that was pressure. Haechan drew him out of his thoughts with a shove towards the cooldown room.
A square room with a small screen playing the highlights of the race, the onboard camera vision gave him vertigo watching the car approach corner three fast - it looked like Park’s car, but regardless, it wasn’t a time to lower his guard. As Formula One started to become popular, cameras were implemented and they streamed everything - even your most private moments when you believed no one was watching. So, yes - the cooldown room was being livestreamed internationally.
Jeno made sure his actions were carefully thought out. Grabbing a sponsored water bottle, placing the sponsored cap on his sweaty forehead, and immediately glaring at Renjun Huang as soon as he walked into the room. Renjun raised his eyebrow, menacingly, before following the exact same crafted routine Jeno had just previously done. Before Jeno could begin to start a conversation to further piss off Renjun, Mark Lee strolled in, hands on his waist - obviously still in disbelief he ended up in third.
“What’s up dudes?” He had this carefree confidence about him, “Don’t all speak at once!” He laughed, sitting down in the chair and watching the highlight reels - especially the one where he had overtaken a young rookie down the straight on DRS. Jeno wished he could’ve spoken to Mark, well - publicly that is, he was really proud of him getting on the podium. The politics in this sport was ridiculous.
Soon enough, it was time to go to the podium, trophies, champagne - you name it. As the crowd dispersed, the teams returned to their garages, Jeno loitered in an empty garage, used for F2. Jeno took a deep breath, the only quiet time he could have was now, well - that was until.
“Defending?” Renjun scoffed, mockingly, “The only thing you can defend is your side of the garage.” Playfully pushing him against the back of the garage’s wall, Jeno smirked, snaking his hands around the smaller’s waist.
“Oh? Is that right? Not defending my side of the bed when you pull the sheets off in the morning.” Jeno planted a small peck on the corner of his lips. Renjun’s face dropped, contemplating whatever was in his mind, Jeno picked up on it, “Hey, what’s up?”
“You didn’t have to give the place up for me, you know.” Their hands found each other, intertwining, playfully grasping at each finger. It was comforting, something he’d found calmed his significant other down.
“I want your team off of your back. The last time you lost, I swear I would’ve pun-” Renjun cut him off quickly with a chaste peck to his lips.
“Jeno, hey. I’m fine. I’m fine .” He took a deep breath, focusing back on his lover, “As long as you and I are enemies, we’ll be fine." Renjun’s hands crept closer, cupping his cheeks in his hands and tried to reassure him with a deeper kiss, probably hoping that his love and concern wasn’t needed and that pained Jeno.
You see, Huang and Lee, to their supporters on various social media platforms, have always been enemies. From the go-kart races when they were eight years old to the alleged fight in the F2 pit lane when they turned nineteen - there was always some type of evidence to back up why they hated each other and he hated it. He guessed that in another life, he was probably destined to be an actor, with the amount of conflict he’d stir up for the media, he wasn’t exactly a so-called, ‘ media darling ’ and neither was his boyfriend of four years.
“Renjun lost it out on that reporter, Edgar Yuel. Had to get pulled away because of some rumors about the set-up of the car.” Haechan flicked his eyes down at the clipboard, with a smug smile, “Looks like his win was in your favour, apparently he’s been asked to go to the stewards for inappropriate language.” Jeno visibly refrained in his chair, the leather jacket he was wearing made his chest drop. Unfortunately, when the stewards got involved - there wasn’t ever luck for Renjun. Jeno would swear to his grave that they had it out for him, they actually willingly wanted to see him out of his seat.
“Sucks to be him.” Jeno mumbled, not interested in the review at all - he was more worried about how he was feeling, the pressure, the stakes - they were getting higher and not stopping.
“So far, your engagement on social media is doing well. Keeping up with the latest trends is really doing your numbers a favour.” Jaemin, the social media-manager , butted in, “If we can get a bit more demand, it means more sponsors to support our new upgrades.”
“And we fucken need those, Jeno.” Haechan added, “We haven’t had a solid upgrade in the last eight months, our pace is failing and with Huang and Park’s team on the up and up, it’s not looking good for us.” Jeno rolled his eyes, they had no clue about anything going on, especially between each team and their respective drivers.
“Renjun and Jisung are talented drivers, they actually have something we don’t have - teamwork.” Jeno sternly spoke, eyeing Haechan, “I guess as well with Zhong Chenle trying to get a seat, anyone would be driving like it was their last.”
Haechan scoffed, shaking his head with a disgruntled look, “Zhong Chenle? Please, we both know it’ll be another two years until he’s experienced to even race in the big leagues. He is not a worry to anyone on the grid, nor on this team. I wouldn’t waste your breath, Lee.”
The thing about Haechan that drove Jeno wild was the fact that once he had a single thought in his mind, you’d have to knock him out to try and deter him from his opinion. Look, Jeno knew he was lucky to have someone like Haechan as their team principal, although sometimes he’d wonder when he’d have that same outgoing boy he’d fix up go-karts with back. Haechan loved the underdogs, whether in sport or something stupid like a group bet, he rooted for the one who never got much love and now? He was the polar opposite but Jeno never pried further than to protect their professional relationship. When he looked at the boy, it was like he grieved for an optimistic driver who was forced to grow up too soon - life wasn’t fair, anyways.
Phone messages blowing up his phone deterred him from his thoughts, now realising he was in the comfort and quiet of his hotel room - life was so fast, he couldn’t even keep track of where he would be. Ah, he knew that stupid article was doomed to reach the eyes of the many spectators that haunted his every move, it was a joke. When his eyes glanced over the headline, he physically grimaced.
“Fuck you, Edgar.” Jeno scoffed, scrolling further down the article.
Lee and Huang - drama outside the lines: an insider report into what happened at Monaco Grand Prix.
Jeno Lee (Astral Apex Racing), leader of fifty-eight out of seventy-eight laps, shrugged off his pole position to longtime rival, Renjun Huang (Skyline Dreamers Racing) to lead and win the Monaco Grand Prix.
When interviewed, Jeno Lee remained adamant on defending his position due to team orders, although radio communications provide insight Team Principal/Racing Analyst, Haechan Lee had no idea. Jeno Lee is currently 1st in the World Driver’s Championship, needing crucial points to create a large gap between himself and Huang. The two longtime rivals have been playing an extended game of cat and mouse since they were eight years old and clearly, this rivalry is beginning to affect the drivers, clearly life in the fast lane is getting too fast for the twenty-four year olds.
Renjun Huang when interviewed used some colourful language to express his frustration about being asked about the car set-up, which is a controversial topic for Skyline Dreamers Racing this season. Both Renjun Huang and Jisung Park’s cars have received considerable upgrades within the first two races of this season, catapulting their tyre duration and speed to unachievable levels for the rest of the grid. The Formula 1 Association had been thoroughly investigating this claim submitted during the first race by an unknown source. They have ensured they will continue to monitor the new levels Skyline Dreamers Racing has achieved with their second year as a mainstay team in the Formula 1.
A congratulations to Hypnospeed Racing’s Mark Lee, who made a career best podium coming in third behind the madness of Huang and Lee.
We look to the Spanish Grand Prix in a week's time, where each team will be hoping to take another victory.
Edgar Yuel (Dreamscope Reports)
Jeno threw his phone onto his lap, gripping his hair in the tips of his fingers. An unspeakable rage swam through his body, clouding his vision and somehow making the once quiet hotel room unbearable to be in. Stumbling to his feet, the boy reached around on the desk beside him, looking for that one thing that could ease his mind. Once feeling the metallic film, he pressed a small capsule through and swallowed, closing his eyes tighter and hoping the anxiousness would leave his body faster. On the outside, Jeno could be the strongest statue, on the inside - it was a losing battle, he was losing quicker by the day.
He thought about Renjun, the smile on his face when they realised they were contracted together, the flowers he’d given him on their first date, the look of fear when they had not been contracted to the same team, the flowers that wilted after two days. Jeno gasped, opening his eyes and holding his chest in pain.
‘sos ‘ Jeno hesitantly typed out to send to his boyfriend, erasing it before choosing to shut his phone off for the night - tomorrow, it was about the team, but tonight - he really needed to be selfish, if only he could do that on the track. These damn reporters, no matter what, could continue to spiral him into further depths of anxiety and Jeno found it strange. It wasn’t scary to approach a corner at 350 kilometers an hour but to have people thinking they know you, analysing your every move, well - that was scarier.