Two races later, in Spain, Harry and Louis are racing in P4 and P5 during lap 35. Harry is using the turn to pass, sneaking past Louis as he takes the turn slightly wider. Louis cuts in as they go around the curve, and Harry is forced off the track as he pulls ahead and takes P4 from Louis.
He pulls away from Louis during the second half of the lap, until he hears from the team radio during lap 36.
“Harry, you have to give the position back.”
“What?!”
“You were not ahead at the peak of the turn, so going off the track was illegal to do while passing” Steffan says.
“That’s bullshit,” Harry says. Aston Martin must have challenged his pass.
“We have to give it back.” Harry does, but he isn’t happy about it.
After the race, Harry stays after his press conference with Max to hover and watch the next one, which includes Louis.
“You seemed pretty outraged by Harry’s pass,” a Dutch reporter asks. Harry mentally makes a note to seek out the footage from Louis’s team radio from the race. “At that moment, were you confident that it wasn’t legal?”
“Immediately yes, I was ahead at the peak and knew it wasn’t right.”
Harry doesn’t wait to watch the rest of the press conference and leaves.
The incidents continue, small altercations during the races that are building up more and more. When Harry is set to win his first ever grand prix in Canada, Louis’s car breaks down and he doesn’t move it off the track before the power unit fully dies.
Between these aggravations on track, and Harry’s persistent crush on Louis, he finds himself less and less confident of how he should act around the other driver. While they used to celebrate after races and run in the same circles, Harry now hangs out with Niall alone. Louis does the same.
friday by mufasa & hypeman
“If you can’t take the heat, then get out of the kitchen.”
“Driving is your fuckin’ job, act like it.” on ao3 by @antidotetogo
Harry’s careful not to look at Louis as he plays. At least, he starts out that way.
But then the sky behind Louis begins to shift, clouds morphing from piles of gold-tinged wool to scoops of pink and orange sherbet. And at some point, Harry forgets-- forgets not to watch. And when he catches himself, it’s fine. Louis’ watching him right back.
But, you see, I have this belief, this conviction that it wasn't just an accident and that, I was wondering if the fact that we were friends, if that played any part.
JUSTIFIED 1.02