Chapter Text
Whatsapp chat with: Gabi
sauber mate, really?? SAUBER??
a seat is a seat
we cant all be kimi antonelli starting in merc
you're better than him anyway
thanks
no but fr im happy
i'm happy for you too, you deserve that seat
i just think you're better than the gambling team
youve got to be nice now
the gambling team is mine now
hope youre ready for me to slay that green look
i don't know anyone else who would devour that
okay now youre just being sarcastic
asshole
i'm genuinely complimenting you
soooooo
hulk?
what about him?
already met your new teammate?
ofc
AND YOU DIDNT TELL ME??
you're a terrible friend
wasnt allowed to
but yeh hulks nice
nice? what happened to “hes the hottest man ive ever seen”
thats my TEAMMATE youre talking about
so no longer hot?
fuck you fr
you know he is
but ive gotta have decorum you little shit
i'm taller than you, who're you calling little?
four cm
counts
now tell me about hulk
youre such a fucking gossip
yep
spill
Ollie is happy for his best friend, he truly is. But choosing Sauber of all teams? He doubts he'll ever understand that decision. Gabi's reason makes sense, everyone knows that he wouldn't have progressed to F1 with McLaren in the foreseeable future, and he is well aware how limited the seats are. But fucking Sauber. At least Gabi didn't go to Mercedes, Ollie supposes. Gabriel Bortoleto might be his best friend, but nothing will ever get Oliver Bearman to root for Mercedes. He breathes, bleeds and lives Ferrari, no matter what.
Whatsapp chat with: Gabi
wait
?
does that mean you will meet Charles Leclerc. in real life. in flesh.
guess so
GUESS SO?? listen here if you meet him and don't get me at least an autograph you can never call yourself my friend again
wouldnt dream of it
dw ive got you
maybe not the first meeting though
don't make an ass of yourself in front of the LOML
whos a fanboy now
autograph.
jfc not the full stop ill get you that signature
love you
thats what it takes? the prsospect of a charles sign and youre professing your love? bit pathetic dont you think
prospect
cant hear you over ill have his phone number and talk to him casually
A group chat called:GRID 2025 with: Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz, Char…
Nico Hulkenberg added you to GRID 2025
Nico Hulkenberg
Here's my rookie. Be nice.
Alex Albon
someones possessive
hi, im gabi
Fernando Alonso
Hello kid.
hi dad!!
Fernando Alonso
I told you to not call me that.
aww dad :(
Lewis Hamilton
You made the kid sad now
Fernando Alonso
He's always like that.
Liam Lawson
hi gabi!! dont mind the boomer
Whatsapp chat with: Gabi
SOS
OLLIE
OLLIE
OLIVER
dont make me use your full name
i'm here i'm here
what happened??
he called me HIS rookie
who??
nico
i mean you are his teammate
his rookie
you dont understand
NICO FUCKING HULKENBERG called me HIS rookie
in the DRIVERS chat
YOU GOT ADDED TO THE DRIVERS CHAT?? LEAD WITH THAT??
im a driver
fuck that
you're in a gc with Charles Leclerc??
can we maybe focus on my crisis first??
okay okay
so
he called you his rookie
because you are
he said im HIS how insane is that?? and he said to be nice to me??
he LIKES you?!?!
can you not
hes just being nice
then why are we panicking?
because hes NICE to me and called me HIS and is PROTECTIVE
cute
OLLIE
what?? i said it's cute
HE JUST TEXTED ME??
you just said hes your teammate?? why would that be special??
you dont know anything fr
Whatsapp chat with: Nico Hulkenberg
Hi Gabriel, I just wanted to say don't let the grid tease you too much. They are all nice, but sometimes a little too eager. If they get too much let me know, I will handle them for you.
thats so nice of you, ty🥺🥺
you can just call me gabi btw
Alright, Gabi.
I also wanted to tell you to be at Sauber tomorrow at 10am, team meeting.
ill be there
Good boy.
Whatsapp chat with: Gabi
OMG
??
nothing
youre so weird
A group chat called:rookies 2025 with: Franco, Isack, Jack,…
Liam Lawson added you to rookies 2025
Liam Lawson
hi gabi, welcome to the kids chat
no boomers allowed
Kimi Antonelli
welcome gabi!!
omg hi!! i didnt know theres a rookie chat
Jack Doohan
There is! Its everyone starting this year and Liam, we decided he gets to be a rookie cause its his first real season and all
Isack Hadjar
its caused a few fights before so just roll with it
Kimi Antonelli
the real fight was about fernando
what about my dad?
Kimi Antonelli
right, forgot hes your grid dad
yknow the fernando rookie joke?
ofc
Kimi Antonelli
well thats why
jack added him
he didnt think it was funny
lmao
Jack Doohan
Never doing anything like that again
He still glares at me
Its so bad
hes a softie
Jack Doohan
Hes Fernando Alonso
yeh, so?
Kimi Antonelli
this is pointless
soz
Jack Doohan
Ur good dw
Franco Colapinto
Why is my phone blowing up?
Ah, hi Gabi
hola
Whatsapp chat with: Gabi
guess who has been added to the rookie chat
shut upppp
thats right
ME
i feel officially like a rookie now
THAT'S what sealed the deal?? not the grid chat??
dont be a hater
At first, not much changes. Ollie and Gabi are still friends like they always were, still chat about everything and nothing, still spam each other memes, still tease each other relentlessly. Gabi just has more experiences now and talks about people Ollie only knows from the TV. He learns about the drivers, sees screenshots from the grid chat and sends Gabi thirst edits of drivers that he knows Gabi is in the same room as for fun.
Then, Melbourne rolls around and suddenly he sees his best friend get interviewed and jump in a race car. All of sudden everything becomes reality. It's not just a thing they joke about. It is actual reality.
Of course, Ollie watches every single content provided, from inteviews over free practice to the actual race. His heart swells with pride as his best friend's first race officially starts. He knows that everything Gabi worked for becomes reality for him in that very moment.
Throughout the race he keeps texting Gabi encouragment and praise, he is extremely proud of his best friend, no matter which position he is in. And then, Gabi spins. Ollie has seen many crashes and spins in his time as an F1 fan, many much more terrifying, but he has never been as scared during a spin. Now, it is not a random driver. Now, it is his best friend.
Gabi calls him right after the race, just as Ollie asked. It is late, but he wouldn't have been able to sleep without hearing from Gabi himself that he is okay.
“Hey”, Gabi greets, his voice sounding far away and numb. “Hi”, Ollie greets back, “I'm really proud of you. You did amazing Gabi.” For a second, no one says anything. “I spun”, Gabi whispers. “My first race and I spun.” Even though Gabi can't see him, Ollie shakes his head immediately. “Exactly. It was your first race. And the conditions were so bad, you can be proud of yourself for how long you lasted. More experienced drivers spun far before you did. You were amazing today Gabi.” Ollie means every word of it and he desperately hopes that Gabi understands. “Thank you. It was fun though. Until I spun, that is.” Ollie smirks. “Tell me about it.” And Gabi does.
Whatsapp chat with: Nico Hulkenberg
I didn't have a chance to tell you before, but I want to let you know that I am very proud of you. You were amazing today, Gabi. Don't think too much about the DNF, it were harsh conditions and you lasted a lot longer than many others. I am very glad to have you as my teammate.
tysm
that really means a lot to me
im glad to have you as a teammate too
We will do well this season.
Whatsapp chat with: Gabi
[screenshot of the conversation between Nico and Gabi]
i dont think failing is an option
you won't fail
that is very nice of hulk
and i agree with him
thanks mate
i mean it and ik he does too
A group chat called:rookies 2025 with: Franco, Isack, Jack,…
Isack Hadjar
congrats kimi!! cant believe you got p4!!
Kimi Antonelli
thanksssss
sorry most of you spun
Liam Lawson
not your fault dw
well done kimi!!
my friend is very impressed by you
dont tell him i said that
he doesnt like merc and would kill me if he knew i told anyone he praised anything merc
but he sounded impressed when we talked about the race
Liam Lawson
youre friends with a merc anti??
not anti
just not a merc fan
lives in ferrari merch you know how it is
Kimi Antonelli
awww say thank you from me!!
Franco Colapinto
Lol Gabi how is your friend coping with you being a Sauber driver
first thing he said to me when the news came out is if im serious with the gambling team
so
yeh
Kimi Antonelli
read to filth
he did say hes glad its anything but merc
so fuck you kimi
Kimi Antonelli
someones sensitive
Jack Doohan
Can u please bring him to the next race
And unleash him in the Merc paddock
Liam Lawson
jack wants chaos
i respect it
ill def bring him to a race eventually
dont know which yet
def silverstone
maybe something before that works though
british boi
Isack Hadjar
ew
Franco Colapinto
Says the french guy
get him again for me!!