Flat Out (Carlos Sainz)

Chapter 3: Crash

Carlos was hungover and jetlagged when they landed at Heathrow at 4 in the morning.

He went out with some friends the night or the morning before their flight and got wasted. Mindi, his PR assistant, just shrugged her shoulders when she saw how wasted Carlos was when he arrived at the airport.

"too much whisky again?" She asked half joking

"No...it was just wine and some tequilla...and lots of beer after" he confessed guiltily

"Can you think straight for a briefing while waiting for boarding? I'm assuming you'll just sleep in the plane" she asks but her tone is more like a dictator.

"Ay ay ay Mindi... Al que madruga, Dios le ayuda. Okay just make it fast?" He responds without much of a choice. Carlos has been on the local news lately after his broken engagement.  Instead of preparing for a wedding in the summer, he was moving out of their apartment and figuring out who gets to keep the dogs.
To drown the heartbreak and everything that came with it, he spends much of his time partying with friends or on track.

This has been the past 6 months and it's affecting his performance on track.

Mindi rolls her eyes and starts to brief him on the news and tabloid features that might get asked by the press when they land for the British GP.

In all honesty, he doesn't care what the tabloids say. It's a relief he's away from Spain though and will be away for the next 3 months. 

"The press people will be in the hotel no? Do they know we arrive a day early?" He asks

Caco responds "they probably know who arrives when so yes"

"I want to go straight to the motorhome then. Rupert can we do our training there instead?" He asks his trainer

Rupert, half awake, just nods.

"Okay we set. No more hotel for two days. We just go straight to Silverstone. The media doesn't know that." He says firmly and then pulls down his hat to cover his eyes  to doze off as they wait for the flight.

He slept throughout the trip from the airport to his motorhome in Silverstone. His was the first to be set up since the other drivers are set to arrive on Wednesday or Thursday.

Today is just Tuesday. He has an extra day to get his rhythm. Being far away from London has its perks because he cannot go out to party. Instead he can focus on training and preparing for the race. He woke up to his media officer briefing him about the news that have been coming out that might be asked on Thursday's media day.

"Carlos... allora... " Mindi snaps at him

"Okay what did they say now? I cheated, I am an alcoholic, my days in Ferrari are numbered, just go straight Mindi"

"No. News are out that Inez cheated on you and is with child" Mindi sounded really scared this time. Not her usual

"Puta madre. No. No. No. How did that happen? We made sure that Inez will be protected from all these. I hate her but she doesn't deserve public judgement" he covers his face with both his hands struggling to figure out what to do next

Caco speaks calmly "so what now, are you going to make another scene to make sure media attention is on you to protect her again, Carlos? You just need to stop and let her suffer the consequences of her actions." Caco never liked Inez but I guess this really pisses him off that even after everything she did I still want to protect her.

Carlos grabs his phone and put on his trainers.
"I need time to think. I'll go for a run"

He switched on his airpods and put The Killers on full blast.