Dominik hopped out of the cockpit, adrenaline still coursing through his veins. He looked at the podium, less than five meters away.
Leclerc (P1), Sainz (P2), and Russell (P3).
Two of his close friends were up there spraying champagne. Dominik felt a twinge of envy, but he quickly squashed it. Optimism took over.
P4 on debut. It was more than "not bad." It was a miracle.
He returned to the Williams area. The mechanics swarmed him, cheering and patting his helmet.
Dominik did the math in his head. In the entire 2021 season, Williams had scored 23 points. Today, in a single evening, he had secured 12 points—more than half of their previous year's total.
"You did great, kid!"
"Go to the pen, the media is waiting!"
Jost Capito and Gaëtan Jego pushed through the crowd, pulling the dehydrated driver into a crushing hug. The smell of burnt fuel and rubber hung heavy in the Bahrain night, the sweetest perfume a racer could ask for.
Yeji stayed back, watching from the shadows of the garage as Dominik was shepherded toward the cameras.
As he walked toward the TV pen, Zhou Guanyu appeared, wearing his Alfa Romeo cap. He had finished P10, scoring a point on his debut as well.
"That was amazing," Zhou grinned. "But don't think you're escaping. You are definitely treating us to dinner."
Dominik laughed, wiping sweat from his forehead. "You scored a point too, Zhou. You're the richest rookie here. You pay."
By the time they reached the media zone, Leclerc and Russell had finished the podium ceremony. The "Four Musketeers" reunited, hair plastered to their foreheads, fireproof suits tied around their waists.
The photographers went wild capturing the candid moment.
"Dominik, as a rookie, P4 is incredible. Your thoughts?" a reporter asked.
"First, I have to thank the team," Dominik said, slipping into his media persona. "They gave me a competitive car."
Competitive on the straights, anyway, he added silently.
"What are your plans for Jeddah?"
"What happened with Hamilton?"
Dominik navigated the questions smoothly, using the diplomatic answers O'Connor had drilled into him.
2022 Bahrain Grand Prix - Driver Standing
Position. |Driver. |Team. |Points|
1. |C. Leclerc. |Ferrari. |26. |
2. |C. Sainz. |Ferrari. |18. |
3. |G. Russell. |Mercedes. |15. |
4. |D. Corvinus. |Williams. |12. |
5. |K. Magnussen. |Haas. |10. |
6. | V. Bottas. |Alfa Romeo|8. |
7. |E. Ocon. |Alpine. | 6. |
8. | F. Alonso. |Alpine. |4. |
9. |L. Hamilton. |Mercedes. |2. |
10. |G. Zhou. |Alfa Romeo. |1. |
The team held a brief debrief, keeping it short to let everyone rest.
When Dominik walked back to his driver's room, he found Yeji acting suspiciously near his gear. She was hiding something behind her back.
"Why are you sneaking around?" Dominik asked, raising an eyebrow.
Yeji jumped. "I'm not sneaking!"
She stepped aside, revealing his helmet sitting on the stand. It was covered—absolutely covered—in cartoon cat stickers.
Dominik stared at it. Then he laughed. "Is this the design inspiration for my new helmet?"
"It's an improvement," she insisted, crossing her arms.
Dominik picked up the helmet, then walked over to Alex Albon's side of the garage.
"Alex," Dominik said.
Albon looked up from packing his bag.
Dominik gave him a hug. "Thank you. If you hadn't held up Russell during that second stint, I would have been defending for my life. I owe you."
"Fighting for points together, mate," Albon smiled, patting Dominik's back. "We're a team."
It was the truth. The gap between the FW44 and the Mercedes W13 was real. Without Albon's defensive driving, Dominik never would have been in position to capitalize on the Red Bull failures.
Dominik returned to his room. He looked at Yeji, then at the cat stickers. An idea sparked.
"You know," he said, tapping the helmet. "I actually need a new livery for Jeddah. This... gives me ideas."
He quickly noted the concept for his helmet designer, then grabbed his bag.
"Come on," he said. "Courier service is over. Time to go to the airport."
Yeji's flight back to Seoul was at midnight. Dominik had to stay in the Middle East for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix next week.
At the departure gate, the mood was subdued.
"Bye-bye," Yeji said, adjusting her sunglasses. "I hope you survive the next one."
"Of course," Dominik smirked. "Watch the race."
She walked into security without looking back. Dominik watched her go, his smile fading slightly. The paddock was going to feel a lot quieter without her.
Monday.
"Get some rest," O'Connor had texted him. "Capito says take the day off."
Dominik ignored him.
He was in the gym by 9:00 AM. He did a video call with his helmet designer, explaining the new concept, then threw himself into training.
He strapped on the weighted head harness. Neck strength was vital for Jeddah—the fastest street circuit in the world, with relentless high-G corners.
In the evening, his phone buzzed. A group chat invite from Russell.
Location:Manama Souq - The Old Quarter.
When Dominik arrived at the restaurant, Leclerc was already there, studying the menu, while Russell was taking photos of the decor.
They ordered a feast. Since they couldn't drink alcohol between back-to-back races, they toasted with sparkling juice.
"Next time, Russell pays," Dominik declared, skewering a piece of grilled meat. "If I hadn't defended against Hamilton, you wouldn't have had such an easy P3."
Russell grinned shamelessly. "Teamwork, Dominik. Teamwork."
Dominik looked around the table. Four young men, carrying the hopes of millions, laughing over dinner in a desert city.
"To us," Dominik raised his glass. "And to surviving Jeddah."
Tuesday. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Dominik arrived at the track. His designer had worked overnight. The new helmet livery was ready for review
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