The rain hit the asphalt of the Albert Park circuit with fury. The sky was gray, the track wet, and the tension in the paddock could be felt in every corner of the Mercedes garage. It was my first race in Formula 1, my debut with Mercedes, and the weather was not on my side. But it didn't matter. I had been waiting for this moment all my life.

"Stay calm, Kimi," said Toto Wolff, placing a hand on my shoulder before going out into the pit lane. It's a long race, and the key will be patience.

I nodded, adjusting the gloves while my engineers did the last checks on the W15. George Russell, my teammate, glanced at me from his side of the garage and smiled.

"Nothing like a rain debut to make it more interesting, huh?"