What A Time // Max Verstappen

12

Checo kept Lewis behind long enough to allow Max some time to overtake the cars separating him and Lewis until he was only a couple of seconds short of Lewis.

A safety car arrived on Lap 56 after Nicholas Latifi crashed into the wall and therefor bringing out a Safety Car allowing Max to pit for a new set of soft tyres for the last few laps.

"Come on they have to let the lap cars overtake." Anna spoke more to herself than those around her as she along with millions across the world and those as the track waited on the message from Michael Masi to clarify the situation.

Eventually the 5 lapped cars which separated Max from Lewis were allowed to overtake and there would be just one lap of normal racing giving Max one last opportunity to take his first title and Lewis one last chance to take his eighth.

Max made the pass on Lewis at turn 5 causing the garage to cheer. Anna grabbed Finn's hand as he was the closest thing next to her as fear started to rise in her. Anything could happen now.

Lewis had a chance at turn 9 to go back in the lead but nothing came from it. Max went on to round the last corner as the mechanics ran from the garage over to the wall separating the pit lane from the track.

The celebrations started both in the stands and the garage while Anna simply took a seat for the first time since she walked into the Red Bull garage this afternoon.

Her mind was still trying to comprehend what had just happened. Her best friend was a world champion. All his work and dedication had finally paid off and it couldn't have been a more fitting end to the season they had.

Anna felt a pair of strong hands rest on her shoulders taking her by surprise and pulling her from her thoughts.

She turned around to see Jos standing behind her now sporting a Max Verstappen World Champions sweatshirt which was black with gold writing on it.

"He did it." Jos spoke and Anna simply nodded in reply. She could see the emotion in his eyes as the tears threatened to fall and he could see the same in her eyes. They had both watched Max grow up and different ways but each so proud of him today in their own right.

"He did." Anna nodded in agreement as she could feel the tears threaten to fall. She used the back of her hand to wipe her eyes before the tears had a chance to fall.

"Come on. He'll wanna see you." The older Verstappen told her.

Anna stood up and only then did she realise that she had been the last person left in the garage and everyone had ran down to the podium to great their new world champion.

Jos had been out talking and congratulating the team on the pit wall and Max's engineers when he noticed the face of his son's best friend sat alone in the garage.

Anna and Jos walked down the pit lane with lots of other people on their way to the podium to see the drivers.

Only when they arrived did Anna realise that Carlos had come third. She had been that occupied with watching Max and Lewis battle on the final lap that she had no clue where the other drivers finished.

She was glad for Carlos. She knew him since he and Max were teammates back at Toro Rosso and she knew he'd do well with Ferrari this year and he had.

—————

Max got out his car parked behind the big number one. He felt completely on top of the world and still a part of it all felt so surreal.

He got out of his car and stood on top cheering. He then jumped down and walked to the back of the car hunching down and taking a moment to himself. He felt emotional and the tears were hanging on his waterline threatening to fall.

He stood up and made his way to the pita lane where his team, his dad and his friends were waiting for him. The first thing he did was jumped into the arms of his team as they all cheered.

After celebrating with them he saw his father and was pulled into a hug. His father patted his helmet which reminded Max that he was best to take it off.

He walked away for a brief moment, removing his helmet and balaclava before placing them on the table. All he could think about was pulling his best friend in for a hug. She had been there with him through everything and this title was as much for her as for his family and his team.

He turned around and searched for the familiar face but couldn't find her. He walked back towards the team as his eyes continued to scan the crowd.

Max even went as far as the look by the FIA building in the pit lane incase the crowds had become too much for her and she was feeling claustrophobic again.

He didn't have a chance to look anymore when a hand grabbed his own and pulled him towards the barriers. He could feel the barrier in between himself and whoever was hugging him.

At first he though it might have been Anna and that she had managed to spot him before he could find her. But the different perfume have away that it wasn't in fact his best friend but his girlfriend.

She grabbed his face and placed a kiss on his cheek before turning his head and placing another kiss on his lips. It took minute for Max to realise what was happening as he had been pulled in so suddenly but he smiled for a moment as his girlfriend hugged him again.

Max stepped back once again and finally spotted the one person who he had been dying to see since he crossed the finish line. He ran in her direction and nearly jumped across the barrier to reach her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and his grip was so strong around her waist it felt like he could break her any second but neither of them cared in this moment.

"You did it." Anna whispered in his ear and he could feel the tears fall from her face down onto the crook of his neck where her face was buried.

"I did it." Max replied softly in her ear as he hugged her tighter.

They could both hear what various cameras clicking around them and knew there was cameras zoomed in on them but neither one cared as this was a moment they had been waiting for since they were kids.

Max Verstappen was a World Champion.

—————

Happy Christmas everyone☺️ hope you all have a great time how ever and where ever you are celebrating x

-ky❤️