♡ liked by 928,394 people

f1 Our longterm besties entering F1 together ✨

Starring Valeria, Oscar and Logan!

#F1 #Formula1 #BahrainGP

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user1 the 2019 rookies are getting some serious competition with these three

user2 not them leaving nyck out like he isn't a rookie as well ⤷ user3 who?

user4 i'm so hyped to see these three race against each other! ⤷ user5 only oscar and vale will race each other, logan will stay at the back ⤷ user6 that is so foul

user7 🇲🇽🇲🇽🇲🇽❤️❤️❤️

user8 f1 isn't what it used to be ⤷ user9 go cry me a river

user10 "shake ass on the podium" she's so real i loooove her

♡ liked by 456,394 people

f1 The Mercedes duo arriving in fashion to the first race weekend of the season! ⭐️

#F1 #Formula1 #BahrainGP

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user11 vale is so cute omg

user12 the fashionistas of f1

user13 everyone arriving in their boring team merch while these two really rock the paddock

user14 i just know they texted each other this morning discussing their fits

user15 f1 fashion game is SO BACK

♡ liked by 1,528,394 people

f1 Valeria makes history as the second woman to gain points in F1 🌟

Ortiz scores her first points with a solid P6!

#F1 #Formula1 #BahrainGP

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user16 THAT'S MY GIRL RIGHT THERE AAHH

user17 it's just the car ⤷ user18 whatever makes you sleep at night

user19 that eyeliner is STANDING ON BUSINESS

user20 the way i screamed out loud when she drove over the finish line!!!

user21 her dad jumping up and down and kissing toto's cheek is the most iconic moment of the weekend ⤷ user22 literally her dad is absolute goals ⤷ user23 i love her dad so much

user24 just her breathing is already making history

user25 a legend in the making! 🇲🇽🇲🇽

♡ liked by benitovelasquez, lewishamilton, yungfilly and 467,384 others

valeriaortiz celebrating that p5-p6 with selfmade tequila

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user26 only hot people driver for mercedes 💅🏻

user27 i already love lewis' and valeria's friendship so much

user28 vale looks so fun to party with!

user29 now i wanna try vale's dad's tequila ⤷ user30 ong been thinking about it ever since she mentioned it

user31 can't wait to see vale bloom further in f1

user32 she's going places for sureeee

user33 men crying and throwing up that a woman joined f1 and vale is over here enjoying some good tequila and pizza

user34 she had one decent race and her ego jumps through the roof ⤷ user35 truly embarrassing of her

FIDGETING WITH THE rings on her fingers, Valeria didn’t pay much attention to the race engineers debriefing after the qualifying that afternoon. She drowned out the conversations around her as the doubt and worry consumed her senses, her mind filling with endless thoughts about what could happen at the race tomorrow.

Her qualifying didn’t go bad per se; She earned herself P2 for the starting grid, one place right behind Felipe Drugovich who has been her biggest rival during the championship. He was always there, either a few points behind or ahead of her. Whatever happens at the race would break or make the other’s standing. 

“... Valeria?” Cecília gently shook the girl next to her, her face showing signs of worry as she looked at the young driver. “Is everything alright? We need you to pay attention, linda.” 

“Sorry, zoomed out for a second,” trying to shake off her intrusive thoughts, Valeria pulled herself together. “I’m all ears.” She smiled at the team, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. 

The debrief was over and before anyone could say anything, Valeria had bolted out the door to reach her driver’s room. She had to gather herself before facing the people outside the motorhome. Taking deep breaths, she pulled out her earphones and clicked onto her paddock playlist. The soothing voice of Kali filled her ears, instantly calming her a little as she thought of her friends. If Kali would be here right now, she’d know exactly how to lift Valeria’s mood. 

A text of Benny, her PR manager and childhood friend, ripped her out of her thoughts. 

We’ll leave soon, okay?Didn’t want to disturb you since I know you probably want to be alone right now

Smiling slightly, she appreciated how considered he can be at times like these. Valeria valued her friendship with Benny a lot, even more so now that he’s working with her and was there for her at every race because of that.

Shooting him a short reply, she sighed as she packed her necessities together. Ready to leave with the safety of her music blasting through her ears, Valeria decided it was best to find her team to drive back to the hotel.

Opening the door, she let out a gasp of shock as she saw Felipe in front of her, his fist raised to knock. “Oh fuck, you scared me!” It slipped out of her mouth faster than she could think. Pulling her earphones away, she looked at him in question. “What are you doing here?”

“Sorry,” the Brazilian sheepishly apologised, scratching the back of his neck nervously. “I just wanted to wish you luck for your race tomorrow.” He held out his hand for her to shake. “No matter who wins. No bad blood, right?”

“Uh…” She looked at him, unsure how to process his appearance. She didn’t know whether to take his words seriously or not, Valeria opted to not be a total asshole, Valeria appreciated his gesture more than doubting his intentions.

So, she took his hand and shot him a genuine smile. “Thank you, likewise. May the better one win, I guess.”

“Oh I’ll make sure of that,” he smiled teasingly. Laughing, Valeria slightly hit his chest. “Yeah right. Good joke.” He laughed as well. 

“So… see you tomorrow?” They made their way out of the motorhome together, coming to a halt when their ways parted. “Or more like, you’ll see me since you’re behind me.”

Laughing again, Valeria slapped his arm. “What happened to the shy teammate I had in Formula 3? I think I liked that Felipe more.” She shook her head, still smiling at her former teammate. 

“I guess he grew up,” Felipe shrugged, growing more serious for a second. “I do hope for a good race tomorrow, no matter the outcome.”

“Me too.” They smiled at each other for a second before the moment was interrupted by Benny walking up to them. “Vale! Our ride’s here- Oh, hey Felipe.” He looked between the two drivers, trying to read the atmosphere. Sensing no stress, he sighed in relief. “Our ride is here, just wanted to inform you.”

“Oh, yeah, thanks.” Valeria turned to Felipe. “Sleep well tonight before I beat your ass tomorrow.” 

Felipe grinned at her. “Whatever makes you sleep at night.” They chuckled before wishing each other a good night and parting their ways. 

“All good?” Benny asked Valeria as they turned to leave the paddock. He took one more look at Felipe behind them, shrugging it off. 

“Yeah, all good.” She bumped her shoulder into his, wrapping her arm around his shoulder as they left for the hotel. “Everything’s gonna be good.”

Everything wouldn’t be good. The guilt, the doubt and the worry came flooding all back when Valeria found herself alone in her hotel room at night. While the whole city was sound asleep at an hour like this, she was pacing around her room with her hands nervously combing through her hair. 

She went through every possible outcome of tomorrow’s race, but got ultimately stuck on the negative ones. She couldn’t bear the thought of getting out of the car and meeting all the disappointed faces of her team, of the Prema Racing team, of the Mercedes team and Toto. Valeria knew she had a shot at the free seat at Mercedes for the next Formula One season, it was just one race away from being hers. 

“We want to see how well she performs under real pressure.” Is what Toto had said to Victor, her manager, when discussing the terms of her possible contract. “If she wins the championship, she’s in. That’s our one condition.” 

Balling her hands into fists, Valeria could see her younger self staring back at her reflection through the bathroom mirror. She felt like back in the US when she drove her little rundown kart at various competitions, the laughs and teasing from her competitors ringing in her ears. 

“Who let her drive here?”

“I didn’t know they let charity cases like her into the karting competitions now.”

“It’s cute that she thinks she actually has a chance at winning.”

Splashing her face with water, she looked at her shaking hands as the water slipped through her fingers. She gritted her teeth in anger, sinking down on the bathroom floor. The tiles felt cool against her back, the temperature change calming her nerves for a little bit. 

Will the self-doubt ever end? She asked herself, knowing that deep down she knew the answer was ‘no’. Before the qualifying, Valeria had talked to Lewis for a brief minute. 

“Kick their asses, alright?” He had smiled at her, petting her head as if she was his little sister. “I want to see you next year on the podium next to me.” He had given her a little push, his significant laugh filling the air. She had answered him with a nod, a smile of her own facing him. But inside of her the turmoil hadn’t stopped.

Breathing through her nose, Valeria knew it made no sense to let the doubt plague her any further. She wished she could just mute her own head. Closing her eyes as she still laid on the bathroom floor, she envisioned what it would feel like to win. She would reach that one goal she only dreamed about; Becoming a champion and advancing to the top. 

Valeria knew she had to win. If not for the seat at Mercedes, then for little Vale who had done everything in her power to get her where she is now. 

THE NEXT MORNING came around faster than she had imagined. Not sleeping much that night, her drumming thoughts made the time pass quicker than she had anticipated. Groaning as her alarm went off to remind her to get ready soon, Valeria popped some Ibuprofen to get rid of the hammering headache. 

“Don’t you look like an angel,” Benny teased his friend as soon as Valeria stepped inside the breakfast room of the hotel. Shooting him a glare, he knew better than to push any more of her buttons. “Okay, not in the talking mood, I get it.” He raised his hands in surrender.

“I’m sorry for being an ass,” she sighed in defeat, rolling the food on her plate from one side to the other with her fork. “It’s just-” She stopped when Benny put his hand over hers, stopping her motion.

He looked her into the eyes, his smile genuine. “Vale, I know. I get it. It’s alright.”

Valeria knew he meant the best for her with his words, but something in her bubbled with anger. He did not get it. He had never found himself in her position, so how would he understand what she’s going through? 

Pulling her hand away, she nibbled on her lips as she decided it was better to just not say anything at all. He sent her a pressed smile before continuing to eat his foot. 

“How’s my little star doing?” Victor, her manager, came up behind her and put both his hands on her shoulders, slightly massaging her. “Oh, you’re tense.”

“What did you expect?” She snapped, mumbling a small sorry after realising she had come off as a little too harsh. “Ugh, I hate myself right now.” She held her head in her hands. “I’m awful.”

Victor and Benny exchanged looks with each other. Her manager turned to Valeria, “Well, it’s all going to be different in a few hours. We have faith in you, even if you don’t have it in yourself right now. The more you pressure yourself, the worse you’ll be able to focus.”

What was supposed to be encouraging made Valeria sigh even more. She was pressuring herself a lot right now and it’s not like she can just turn off those feelings, so does that mean she’ll lose it all in the race?

“Come on, eat up so we can go to the paddock.” Victor patted her shoulder, pointing towards the plate which had all the nutritions she’d needed for the race on it. “Benny, make sure she eats it up.” With that, he left as he picked up a phone call.

Forcing the food down her throat despite the nausea growing inside her, Valeria and Benny made their way towards the car where the rest of her team waited for her. Rio, her trainer, shot her a smile of encouragement as he opened the door for her. “Here you go, future champion.”

During the ride, everyone seemed to talk over Valeria’s head about the upcoming race while the girl had her headphones on to avoid any conversation. She already dreaded the celebrities who were at the paddock for the Formula One race which would take place after the Formula Two one. 

Of course the paddock was packed with people from all over the world. Drivers, their team, the media and celebrities crowded the entrance as Valeria got out of the car. In an instant, she found herself surrounded by various interviewers bombarding her with questions about the upcoming race. Before Valeria could even digest all the information thrown at her, Rio had stepped in and pushed the reporters away as gently as possible to avoid any drama.

“No questions right now.” She could hear Victor behind her as Rio shielded her from anyone further invading her space. Quickly pushing through the crowd, the team was able to avoid any more complications upon arriving at the motorhome. Valeria felt her shoulders tense even more when seeing her engineers and mechanics inside the garage, all of them putting their hopes for the win on her. 

Up until two hours before the race, Valeria felt as if the time was passing by slowly. Everything blurred into each other when sitting down to discuss the strategy for today’s race. They kept telling her what to do, but the only thing she could focus on was her racing heartbeat. 

When it was time to prepare mentally for the race, when she finally found some time to cool down, Valeria distanced herself from her team and the garage. “I just need a moment for myself.” She told the others, earning concerned looks from them before walking off.

How am I supposed to last in Formula One when I’m already so stressed out now? 

Sitting down in a more secluded era, she felt like she could finally breathe for a second without anyone looking down on her. She knew they all meant well, however, it just all felt overwhelming to the point where she could lash out and scream at everyone out of frustration. 

Looking down on her phone, she contemplated whether or not to call Tyler. As someone who understood the struggle of not wanting to disappoint his fans, she knew he’d find the right words to calm her nerves without the typical ‘you can do this!’ bullshit. 

“¿Oye hablas español?” 

Valeria got ripped out of her thoughts, the unfamiliar voice making her furrow her brows in confusion. Looking up, she saw a man walking up to her with a big smile painted on his face. Turning her head to her side, seeing if he was talking to her or not, she raised her brow at him in question. “¿Qué?”

“I know a Latina when I see one.” He laughed, sitting down next to her without asking for permission. Valeria’s mood soured a little, she wanted a moment alone and he just bursted in without a thought. However, there was something so soothing about his presence that she couldn’t describe in words.

“I’m sorry but, who are you?” She asked, the confusion clearly taking over her whole demeanour. 

“Filly,” He stretched out his hand towards her to shake. “Sorry for just coming up to you. You looked a bit grim and I figured you’d need some cheering up.” Scanning her outfit, noticing her driver's suit, his eyes widened for a second. “You a driver?”

“Yeah.” She shrugged, taking his hand before shaking it. “Valeria.”

“I’m really sorry, I’m kinda new to the Formula world. Didn’t know they had a girl.” Filly chuckled. “But that’s good, aye?”

“I’m not in Formula One.” She corrected him, smiling a little. “Formula Two, actually.”

“Oi, that’s impressive. Good thing I came earlier, so I can watch your race.”

“I mean, I don’t know if it’s going to be as spectacular as the Formula One one.” She shrugged, dropping her shoulders a bit. 

“You just gotta make it interesting, then.” He pushed his shoulder slightly against hers. “You nervous?” He made it sound like a question, but they both knew it was more of a statement. 

“There’s… I guess you could say a lot depends on how I do today.” Valeria wasn’t about to share the whole story, and thankfully, she felt as if Filly understood. “Lots of pressure, you know.”

“I figure, the more you stress, the more you’re setting yourself up to fail.” He just said. 

Letting his words sink in for a second, Valeria found herself agreeing with him. “But I just can’t make it stop. Otherwise, trust me, I would’ve done that already.”

“I’m not a racer, so correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe once you enter the car your worries will go away.” He sent a small, comforting smile her way. “And then, when you achieve what you set your mind up to, find me afterwards and the first round is on me.”

Giggling at his statement, she nodded. “Now I have to win, don’t I? For the shots, at least.” 

“I guess now there’s no other way to go.” He stood up, holding his hand out to help her up as well. Dusting her suit off, she looked up to him. “Is it weird if I hug you?” Bursting out in loud laughter, Filly wrapped his arms around her shoulders to embrace her in a hug. Valeria felt a little lighter, some of the worry falling off her chest. 

“I’ll be at the finishing line, yeah?” He winked at her before waving her goodbye. 

“I bet on it.”

FILLY WAS RIGHT. The moment Valeria had entered her car, her helmet secured on her head, her visor down, her hands gloved up and feeling the familiarity of her wheel under her fingers, she felt her worries and doubts zooming out. Her eyes were fixated on the red lights, a quick glance towards Felipe slightly in front of her, the roaming of the motors hammering through her helmet into her ears. 

It’s lights out and away we go!

Her reaction time was good, though so was Felipe’s. She couldn’t get in front of him, him quickly defending his place when she tried to push past him. Looking behind her, Valeria could see the chaos behind her. The start was always the most nerve wrecking in her opinion, everyone trying to gain as many positions as possible.

She figured it’d make more sense for her to try to overtake Felipe later on, focusing more on keeping her position as second place until everyone had spread throughout the track a little. Hopefully, she was making the right decision on it.

It wasn’t up until a couple laps left when she found a moment to overtake her rival. She had tried many times throughout the race, her mind filled with possibilities on how to get the win while simultaneously defending her current place. Valeria had waited for a moment of weakness of the Brazilian, a small mistake which could lead her to victory. 

She grew almost frustrated by his defending skills, her grip tightening around her wheel. Her focus was slipping away second by second as she kept trying without getting any closer to her goal. 

“The more you stress, the more you’re setting yourself up to fail.”

Taking a deep breath, Valeria detached herself from the nagging thoughts. Feeling herself becoming lighter and lighter, her eyes focused on the car in front of her. She felt like Felipe was taunting her a little.

“You just gotta make it interesting, then.”

“I’m going all in.” She unpressed the button which connected her to her team, drowning out their response before pressing the gas pedal even more. Iit was now or never. 

I will not lose this close to winning.

Valeria couldn’t remember what happened afterwards. 

The adrenaline was spiking high, the blood rushing faster than the cars on track through her veins and her nerves were skyrocketing through the roof. It felt as if someone else was taking over her body, her decisions and choices feeling surreal. 

The next moment she felt like she was back on earth was the moment she drove over the finishing line, the chequered flag waving at her. She couldn’t properly breathe, the screams of excitement filling her ears as her team principal shouted into his mic.

“YOU’RE A CHAMPION.”

I’m a champion.

Her legs were shaking as she stepped out of the car once she was parked. Immediately, her team ran up to her and smothered her in hugs, all of them knocking on her helmet while grinning from ear to ear. 

Valeria couldn’t even come up with any words, her mind completely blank as she pulled her helmet off. Breathless, she looked at her team, her engineers, her mechanics. They all waited for her to say something. 

“I’m a fucking champion.” She laughed as she held her helmet high up in the air. “¡Un maldito campeón!” She jumped up and down, the realisation kicking in and her emotions running absolutely wild. 

Felipe came up to her after getting out of his car. He held his hand out, a smile gracing his features. “You really didn’t make this race easy.” 

Looking down on his hand, Valeria shrugged before giving him a hug instead. “Never said I would.” 

“¡VIVA MÉXICO CABRONES!”

She was swept off her feet, her father holding her up as he yelled at the top of his lungs. A Mexican flag was tied around his shoulders. Laughing at his antics, she joined him as they chanted the national anthem of their country. 

When the official celebrations came around, Valeria was close to tearing up as she stood on the highest step of the podium. The flag, which was previously around her father’s shoulders, was now tightly tied around her. As the trophy was handed to her, she had the proudest smile on her face. 

In the crowd below her, she could spot Toto. He gave her a thumbs up, a smile matching hers on his lips. Grinning, she pointed towards the Mercedes logo which was stitched on her suit. 

See you in Formula One next year!

― THE LA FRIEND GROUP

name: benito velasquez date of birth: june 26th, 1998 place of birth: east la, california occupation: pr manager friends since: childhood

Benito didn’t know who I was for the first few years of his childhood. Granted, I didn’t know about him either. It’s funny, really, how we grew up around the same neighbourhood surrounded by the same people and yet neither of us was aware of the other despite our similar age. He’d often hang out at Tía María’s place, more so than he did at his own home, right across the street where I lived. Tía María was a widowed woman who suffered the loss of her husband just recently at that time. She was happy to spoil the children around the neighbourhood since she couldn’t get any of her own. She was everyone’s aunty, parents oftentimes sending their children over to hers whenever it suited them. That’s how I met Benny before I started karting. My dad was occupied in his mechanics shop a lot, hence why I spent most of my time after school hanging out at Tía María’s place as well.

He was a genius when it came to everything social media. I never understood why he was so obsessed with Keeping up with the Kardashians, Britney Spears’ mental breakdown in 2007 and the downfall of Lindsay Lohan. I figured it was his thing just like my thing was racing. However, it wasn’t just a phase for him like many had said. He easily saw through various PR moves and could detect what’s true and what’s fake to deceive the public eye. Sometimes he’d tell me how he’d handle the different scandals if he was their PR manager. I admired him for his vast knowledge.

When I got discovered by Toto Wolff and sent off to further prove myself on the European Circuit, Benny was right behind me to discuss my media presence. It was funny at the beginning how easy it came to him to manage my social media accounts with me together, forming an image of me we both agreed on. I wanted to be as transparent as I was allowed to and he made sure to do exactly that. It didn’t take long for him to become my official PR manager.

name: tyler gregory okonma date of birth: march 6th, 1991 place of birth: hawthorne, california occupation: musician friends since: 2014/2015

Tyler was one of the funniest aspects of my teenagehood. It was during the Vine phase in 2014 when he’d often hang around my neighbourhood, collecting footage for his growing fanbase. I don’t remember exactly how we got to meet, it was more one of those friendships that developed over time by seeing each other often on the streets. He was one of the biggest jokers I had ever met, always making Benny and me laugh about the stupidest stuff. Tyler quickly became like a brother to me, one I had never had since I was an only child. Thankfully, my dad loved Tyler’s annoying ass as well. He’d always joke how Tyler was a lot to handle, but deep down you knew he was fond of the boy because he’d still custom design different parts for Tyler’s car collection.

Tyler would often drive me to my karting tournaments whenever dad didn’t have the time. He was one of my biggest supporters, yelling so loud from the sidelines I could hear his screams over the motor sounds and right through my thick helmet. Since I didn’t have a mom, Tyler acted like a mom on the track. Tyler can be saying the most out of pocket shit to embarrass me when I'm on the podium saying ‘SMILE FOR THE CAMERA HONEY’ but I appreciated him taking his time to come see me despite him gradually gaining more and more fame through his music. 

Tyler would still visit me often in Europe when I started to drive in Formula. I didn’t really fit into the crowd in Europe, so whenever he went overseas he’d make sure to stop by in Brackley. And let me tell you, when Toto first met Tyler he knew he would have this recurring headache for as long as I’m in Mercedes.

name: kali uchis date of birth: july 17, 1994 place of birth: alexandria, virginia occupation: musician friends since: 2018

Kali was the first female friend I had ever had. 

Of course I knew about her music before I met her in person. When I joined Tyler in the studio (he had to pick me up from the karting track beforehand), Kali and I instantly clicked. She was the sweetest soul I had ever met, immediately inviting me to join her in the booth, goofing around with Tyler, who loved to act all sassy with us girls. I wasn’t really musically talented, but it was exciting nevertheless to see the process and thoughts behind creating music.

She became somewhat like an older sister, one I could tell all my girl problems and share girly interests with. Call us chismosas if you want, but when things had gone down in our social circles it was like someone had died, it had to be spilled.

Kali was a graceful woman, one I looked up to a lot. She was confident, always dressed in designer clothes from head to toe and walked with such elegance. She was one of those people that immediately got everyone’s attention when entering a room.

Our bond went beyond friendship; it was a sisterhood, a connection that felt like fate had brought us together. Kali Uchis, my partner in crime and fashion, my confidante, and the ultimate queen of slay.

― THE UK FRIEND GROUP

name: andres felipé barrientos / yung filly date of birth: august 6, 1995 place of birth: cali, colombia occupation: youtuber friends since: 2022

I remember the exact moment where I met Filly for the first time. It was in Abu Dhabi 2022, the last race of my final season in Formula 2. I was close to winning the Formula 2 championship, only one more race to go to secure the title. I had distanced myself from my team to collect my thoughts beforehand, trying to get into the zone, when suddenly a voice came up behind me. 

I didn’t know who he was at that moment, I just remembered him sitting down next to me. ¿Oye hablas español? He randomly asked me. That is such a weird question to ask a stranger. I laughed out loud. Not going to lie, Filly can spot a latino from a mile away, which explains why he just sat right next to me like he just spawned into a game while I was having a midlife crisis . Apparently, Filly also didn’t know who I was when first meeting me. But he did a really good job to calm my nerves when noticing how nervous I was, giving me a pep talk after realising I was a driver and what situation I found myself in. To this day I like to joke around that without his pep talk I would’ve only driven half as good.

At the afterparty, I went to search for him in order to thank him for his encouraging words. We clicked instantly when celebrating my win and exchanged numbers to keep in touch furthermore. He’s probably my best friend in England.

name: nella rose date of birth: july 20, 1997 place of birth: belgium occupation: youtuber friends since: 2022

It was at a video shoot when Filly introduced me to Miss Nella Rose. Filly had this knack for bringing people together. Now, Nella, is a genuine human in a world of filters and facades, someone you could be completely real with. In a place where everyone's putting on a show, Nella stood out.

I am lucky to have crossed paths with someone so real, someone who made the crazy F1 world feel a little less daunting. She had this magnetic vibe, you know? Not the flashy, showy kind, but the kind that makes you feel like you're talking to an old friend. We clicked instantly, not in a romantic way, but in a 'I’ve-found-my-ride-or-die-friend' way. 

It wasn't about the glitz and glam of the F1 world or the YouTube fame – it was about two souls connecting, sharing stories, and laughing like there was no tomorrow.

name: amin mohamed / chunkz date of birth: february, 21 1996 place of birth: london, uk occupation: youtuber friends since: 2022

I met Chunkz the same day I met Nella, courtesy of Filly. He was, like the rest of them, so welcoming and incredibly funny. In a world where everyone's trying to one-up each other, his authenticity was a breath of fresh air.

We hit it off immediately, like, we both have this weird obsession with 90s sitcoms level of connection (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air I might add). His laugh, oh my days, it's contagious. We bonded over memes, terrible dance moves, and, of course, our shared love for fast cars. He was more like a 'this dude is my spirit animal' vibe.

So, yeah, meeting Chunkz that day was like gaining a new teammate, someone who made the F1 circuit feel like a family. In the whirlwind of F1 circuits and YouTube fame, he was that unexpected dose of hilarity that made the day memorable. Chunkz, Nella Rose, and me, all meeting on the same day? That's the kind of plot twist you'd expect in a Netflix teen drama, but hey, it happened. 

Life is weird, and sometimes, it's the unexpected friendships that make it hilariously awesome.

name: rúben dos santos gato alves dias date of birth: may 14, 1997 place of birth: amadora, portugal occupation: football player friends since: 2022

The first time I met Rúben, I punched him in the face. Alright, it wasn’t intentional and just a stupid mistake of mine, but thinking about it back now, it’s a pretty funny way to start a friendship.

It was after the Monaco Grand Prix in 2022, so the festivities were quite big and extravagant. However, I was just exhausted up and foremost. Monaco is a great track, but your concentration needs to be at 150% all the time if you want to make it to the end.

So, naturally, I fell asleep on a chair in a more quiet area of the venue where the afterparty took place. Rúben passed me by, noticed me and became concerned for me. He didn’t know whether I passed out from drinking or not, shaking me to see if I was fine. Are you alright? Should I call someone? Should I drive you home? Startled by this unknown stranger waking me up, I punched him in the face when I came to my senses all disoriented. I felt really bad, and so did he. I think we apologised to each other about a dozen times, going back and forth.

As an apology, I invited him for lunch the next time I was in England. We talked a lot about similar interests, about both of our busy schedules and the fast life of being an athlete. He said he’d invite me to one of his games since he saw me racing but I’ve never seen him play. To be honest, football wasn’t something I was very familiar with, so Rúben was keen on explaining the sport to me. 

I knew I had found a new friend in him when I laughed so much with him I nearly lost consciousness from the lack of breathing.

― THE FORMULA FRIEND GROUP

name: lewis hamilton date of birth: january 7, 1957 place of birth: stevenage, uk occupation: formula one driver friends since: 2020

When Toto came up to me and made me join the Mercedes Junior Team, my hopes of seeing Lewis Hamilton rose drastically. He was, and is, one of the biggest names in Motorsport and an idol to many younglings in the sport, me included. 

I didn’t meet him the first year of staying at Brackley. I was still getting used to adjusting to England, its culture and operating the simulator. Our first unofficial meeting happened in the simulator. I was driving, humming All Eyes On Me by 2Pac when someone behind me said ‘You could’ve taken that turn a little sharper on the apex.’ I didn’t know it was him at the time, too startled by the sudden comment to realise who it came from. His presence made me crash into the barriers. 

So when I actually saw him visit the facility in Brackley for the first time, I nearly suffered a heart attack. Toto introduced us, laughing at me when I started to stutter in front of Lewis. I remember my cheeks burning out of embarrassment and hands shaking out of nervosity. I was that nervous I had started speaking in an English accent, that’s when I had to shut up. I think my brain actually stopped working for a second when Lewis said he’d know of me and seen some of my races. 

When he became my teammate in the 2023 season, I was beyond the moon excited to work with such an icon. The things I’ve learned and am still learning from him made me grow incredibly as a driver. He’s like a mentor to me, continuing to teach me new things with such enthusiasm, he really keeps me motivated and focused.

name: logan sargeant date of birth: december 31, 2000 place of birth: fort lauderdale, florida occupation: formula one driver friends since: 2019

Oh, Logan Sargeant, where do I even begin with this guy? We go way back, back to the Formula 3 days when we were tearing up the tracks alongside Felipe Drugovich. Logan and I clicked faster than Wi-Fi in a room full of tech geeks. We're both from the States, different coasts but same vibe, you know? We practically dragged Felipe into our adventures everywhere we went.

Even though our ways as teammates parted after one season, we stayed tight. We spent a lot of time together outside of the paddock. Whether it was eating out or visiting the other over summer and winter break in the US:  Burgers, beach trips, and a lot of dad jokes (thanks to my old man’s enthusiasm for Logan) – our friendship just kept growing. And guess what? Destiny had more mischief in store for us. From late-night strategy talks to spontaneously exploring new cities, we’ve turned every race weekend into an adventure. My father grew quite fond of Logan, Logan’s enthusiasm for the US matching my dad’s enthusiasm for Mexico. 

Fast forward to Formula 1, and bam, we're rookie teammates again, this time with Oscar Piastri thrown into the chaos, he had no other choice but to tag along with us. Forming the ‘2023 Rookies’ group, we were hellbend to become even more iconic than the 2019 rookies. It's like we're on a mission to turn the F1 grid into our playground and so far, dare I say we’re doing a good job at it? Fuck yeah. We’re hell-bent on making our mark, not just on the tracks but in the F1 history books.

name: oscar piastri date of birth: april 21, 2001 place of birth: melbourne, australia occupation: formula one driver friends since: 2020

Ah, Oscar Piastri, my first F2 teammate in 2021. We'd already crossed paths in Formula 3, but back then, he was about as outgoing as a hermit crab. Fast forward a year, and fate decided we should be on the same team. I mean, talk about a plot twist, right? So, here's this dude, quiet as a library on a Sunday morning, and suddenly, we're sharing the same garage.

The first time we actually talked to each other was after our first race of the season. We sat in two ice baths next to each other when he made the first move and quietly tried to start a conversation. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn’t even realise he was talking to me. It took him a second try to catch my attention, and then it was like he had opened Pandora's box: I would not shut up for one second after we really got into conversation. I was telling him all the gossip from back home, all the shit that annoyed me, literally everything because he was willing to listen to me rant away. 

Oscar Piastri, the man of few words but here for the vibes, became more than a teammate – he became that friend who’d silently judge my questionable music choices and then secretly listen to the same music when he thought no one was watching. It's funny how the quiet ones always surprise you the most, right. That became our dynamic: Me talking his ear off and him listening like his life depended on it. Sometimes I would feel bad for saying so much, but Oscar seemed to be actually interested in hearing about my issues and thoughts.   When entering Formula 1 together with Logan, we obviously stuck together a lot as the new rookies. We became the 2023 rookies, the gen Z version of the 2019 rookies. Logan and I were the loud ones, the ones adopting our introverted friend and dragging him with us everywhere. So here's to Oscar, the Aussie from down under for making racing not just about speed, but also about laughter and unexpected friendship.

name: andrea kimi antonelli date of birth: august 25, 2006 place of birth: bologna, italy occupation: motor racing driver friends since: 2019

Becoming part of the Mercedes Junior Team in 2018 and moving from East LA to Brackley, I knew what it felt like to leave your life behind and start anew in a different country. When I first noticed Kimi appearing at the facilities a year later, I immediately felt my heart ache for him. He was new, still somewhat shy and kept to himself a lot. Remembering the same situation I found myself in a year prior, I made it my mission to help him get accustomed to his new surroundings. So I found the only solution possible, I adopted him as my Formula son. 

We grew close relatively fast, him loving to annoy the shit out of me and use me as an ATM machine whenever we went out together. I loved spoiling him from time to time, treating him like the little hermano he is to me. 

And like the big sister I am, obviously I visited him at his races as much as I could. Vice versa, he’d come to a few of mine as well. I always invited him as my guest, but little Kimi was too shy to meet the senior team and the older grid. I would literally have to drag him to socialise a bit more, reassuring him that none of them would bite him. He’s literally part of the team as well, so why was he acting all shy.

2022 was a big year for both of us, one I like to think back to. With me racing my way up the F2 drivers standings, Kimi was doing the same in F4. Both of us ended up winning the championships simultaneously, I had never been more proud of my little padawan.