Page 57 of Not So Fast
Mia leaned into the microphone. “Actually, it’s calledNot So Fast.”
Claudia laughed quietly. “My apologies.Not So Fast.Now, you rose in popularity after you were quite vocal in your criticism of Xander Bishop, but aside from the crash in Monaco, his season seems to be turning around. He had a P6 finish today, two positions ahead of his teammate, which is a fantastic result for him. What are your thoughts about the strides he’s made?”
Mia not only hadn’t expected to be interviewed by Claudia Simon today, she also hadn’t expected a Xander question from the word go.
“I think it’s great. I was quite critical of him, but I’ve never wanted anything but for Xander to do well. He’s a brilliant driver. I’m happy to see him performing on track.”
Mia was hella proud of herself for such an eloquent string of words, but then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Reginald Huff stepping into view. Now she was nervous again.
“Do you think your criticism played a role in Xander’s turnaround?” Claudia asked as Reginald lurked.
“I’m not the only one who was critical.”
“Of course not. You just happened to do it in the most colorful way. Most drivers would do anything to make a podcaster stop saying the things you said about Xander.”
Mia winced. Would her viral moment ever stop feeling so cringey?
“I’m sure it all came down to Xander and his relationship with the car.” She was desperate to steer the conversation to a broader topic, away from the focus on Xander, especially withReginald in such close proximity. “I don’t get the impression that any of the drivers pay much attention to my podcast or any other.”
“I don’t know about that,” Claudia said. “I interviewed Emilio Baquero today and he had aNot So Fastpatch on his backpack.”
“Are you serious?” Mia blurted before she realized it wasn’t the most professional of responses, but she was proud of herself for not spouting the things actually going through her head.
Holy shit. That’s cuckoo banana pants.
“He mentioned that he really enjoyed his chat with you at Monza.”
Just when Mia was floored, Claudia came out with another detail that made her even more so. “That is so lovely to hear.”
“Now, just a few more questions before we head to the media pen to interview the drivers. Tell me your predictions for the rest of the season.”
How Mia wished she’d had time to prepare. “Well, I don’t see anyone beating Emilio in the Drivers’ Championship. He’s in top form and the Vermillion car is only getting better. The upgrades they brought to Monza continue to pay dividends. With Florian a very close number two, Vermillion will come out on top in the Constructors’ Championship. After that, I think Kenji will end up at number three in the Drivers’, which will mean a coveted second place team finish for Cyclone Green Dragon. That’ll be a big accomplishment for them. They’ve never finished higher than fourth in the Constructors’.”
“And how do you think things will play out at Mega Racing? Will Xander keep his seat? Will Dirk sign a contract extension?”
Just then, Xander came out of the Mega Racing garage. With everything going on, Mia was shocked she’d noticed, but even more astounding amid the hubbub of the paddock was that Xander looked right at her. She searched for the excitement of his sixth-place finish in his eyes, but didn’t see it. What she could see were the wrinkles in his forehead and a look of eagerness to talk to her. Did Claudia have them figured out? And exactly how much attention was Reginald Huff paying to any of this?
“Yes to both. Xander’s season will continue on an upward trajectory, he will absolutely keep his seat and Dirk will re-up. I predict stability and good things for Mega.”
“You’ve heard it here first,” Claudia said. “Thanks to Mia Neal for chatting with us today.”
“And we’re out,” the cameraman said.
“That was wonderful, Mia. Honestly, have you ever thought about television? Commentary about F1 perhaps? We need more women in the sport, and we’re always looking for new talent.”
That was as much out of left field as Claudia’s request for an interview in the first place. “I do have a degree in journalism.”
“Even better. You have my card, right?”
“I do.” Mia said goodbye to Claudia, somewhat stunned. She scanned the paddock for Xander, but he’d disappeared.
Surely he’d gone off to do his stint in the media pen. Mia had to think hard about her next move—stand outside the media area and wait for Xander to emerge? Or go straight to the motorhome and wait for him there? Making her choice exponentially more difficult—Reginald was making a beeline for her. What was he up to? What was his fixation onher? She knew the answer to neither of those questions. She only knew she had to get out of there.
She slipped on her sunglasses to be as incognito as possible and began winding her way through the throng of people. The crowd was growing now that the race was over. Her height was not helping. She couldn’t see shit. And she kept running into people.
Suddenly, there was a tap on her shoulder. “Ms. Neal. Can we chat?”
Mia’s stomach turned at the sound of Reginald’s voice, but she knew it was unwise to piss him off, so she faced him and forced herself to smile. “I’m in a bit of a rush, actually.”
