You’re sitting in the stands at the Bahrain circuit, your eyes looking at the track, still trying to process everything happening around you. The noise of the paddock reaches your ears, but inside, everything feels silent. The excitement is there, undeniably, but it hasn’t fully hit you yet. You’ll be behind the wheel of a Ferrari for your first F1 practice session. Your debut. It’s something you’ve dreamed of. Everything’s happening so quickly, and your mind is struggling to keep up.

You feel someone sit next to you, you see it’s Carlos Sainz. Since you joined the Ferrari Academy, he’s always been there for you—sharing the same language, even if his Spanish is a bit different from yours. The connection was instant, and you always found comfort in his calm demeanor.

“Don’t worry, you’re going to do great,” Carlos says, giving you that trademark calm smile that’s always reassured you.

You nod, feeling a sense of relief just from his presence. Since you entered the Ferrari Academy, Carlos was the first one to really take you under his wing. He wasn’t just a driver to admire; he was a mentor.

“Thanks. I can’t believe this is happenin,” you reply, your eyes drifting back to the track, trying to calm the storm inside you.

Carlos chuckles softly, clearly understanding the feeling. He’d been in your shoes once.

“I get it, believe me. But remember it’s just another race. Focus, stay sharp, and do what you’ve always done. You’ve earned this. And now, you just get to do it in a red car,” he says, giving you a playful wink.

You look back at the track, thinking of the times you and Charles spoke in Italian, the bond you shared with him as both a teammate and a friend. Everything felt so natural when it was just the three of you, but now, this was different. It was your moment.

“Thanks. I’ll make sure to give it my all,” you say.

Carlos gives your shoulder a light pat, standing up and getting ready to head back to the paddock.