Page 33 of Overtake
Footsteps approach and Nico looks up to see Wyn. They’re alone.
“So community service.” Wyn’s quiet. That reminds Nico of the shy boy he first met when they were kids. “With Hayter. That’ll be interesting.”
“Mm. That’s one way to think of it.”
A pause stretches between them. They have a lot of shared history. Victories and podiums, late nights parsing data until their eyes burned. Before Graham’s “guidance” turned every race into a referendum on Wyn’s worth, that is.
“Look.” Wyn touches his bruised nose absently. “About Singapore?—”
Nico sits back. “I don’t want to hear what Graham has to say. Tell me whatyouthink.”
Wyn crosses his arms and looks down at his feet. “What I think stopped mattering a long time ago, Nico.”
“Because you let it.”
Wyn’s laugh is harsh and he looks up. “Easy for you to say. Your father gives a shit about you.” He stops, lips pressing into ahard line. “Never mind. Have fun teaching kids about safety. Try not to let Hayter punch any more walls.”
He’s almost reached the team building’s front door when Nico speaks again. “You used to be better than this.”
“Yeah, well. I used to be a lot of things, Conejo.” Wyn yanks open the door and strides out.
Nico’s left alone with tepid coffee and memories of when “teammate” meant something. He watches the door slowly close. That wasn’t an apology. Just a moment of... what? Nostalgia?
Whatever it was changes nothing. Friday, Wyn will be Graham’s soldier again. Pushing limits and crossing lines. The teammate who raced for joy is buried under his father’s expectations.
Nico checks the revised schedule on his phone. Every minute’s accounted for. All because he couldn’t walk away from what was right.
“Worth it,” he tells the empty room.
THE SLIPSTREAM
@F1FanGirl_22FINALLY justice! Petra and Nico teaching kids proper racing lines instead of getting banned is perfect. They stood up to the BS and now they’re giving back #JusticeForPetra
@RacingMum_AustinMy daughter’s signed up for the karting sessions!! She’s obsessed with Petra and now gets to learn from her? Best thing to come out of this mess tbh
@KartingAmerica_COTAOur facility is honored to host @PetraHayter and @NicoBelmonte! These sessions filled up in minutes. What an incredible opportunity for young drivers!
@WolfBettRiderCommunity service?? Are you kidding me? Petra started a fight and Nico attacked his own teammate! They should be suspended not rewarded with publicity ops #WallGate
? @F1TraditionalistExactly. Since when do we let violent drivers teach children? What message does thissend? That if you assault people you get community service instead of real consequences? #WallGate
@SpanishF1FanNico choosing truth over team politics and now teaching youth safety? This is why he’s a real champion.Respeto, Conejo
@WynDefenderStill waiting for ANYONE to explain why Wyn’s the villain here when HE’S the one with the broken nose?? But sure, let’s give his attacker a platform #BettOnBarriers #WallGate
@TeamNitro_ForeverPetra teaching kids about clean racing after exposing Wyn’s dirty tactics ischef’s kissThe irony writes itself
CHAPTER NINE
UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX | THURSDAY | MEDIA DAY
It’s sixteen hundred hours.I’ve been up since dawn, cramming a full day of race prep and media responsibilities into a compressed schedule. Now the director of Graham Pritchard’s weekly behind-the-scenes F1 show,Paddock Access, keeps asking Nico and me to “act more natural” and “look inspiring” while we pretend to teach karting basics to empty space because the kids won’t arrive for another thirty minutes.
So, yeah, I’m cultivating a miserable headache.
That Graham has turned our community service into his TV opportunity proper pisses me off. I’d consign all the Pritchard men to the hate train, except Reece is so utterly decent. He proves how absolutely mental Graham and Wyn are.
“Okay, now both of you stand by the karts and look inspiring.” The camera operator gestures vaguely in that direction.
