#driver:mark

Thank you all so much for sharing our help needed post! I am so thrilled to say we are up to a full new team. A team with a diverse set of beloved ships and tropes and favourite pairings and teams. It's going to be fun!

Let's get this show on the road!

Gen (Mark/Sebastian, Charles & Sebastian)

The Road to Parenthood by @beensinning | Not Rated | 283k

@ashzerog19's favourite fic

23-year-old Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel adopts a young Charles

This fic is the perfect mix of a lot of tropes that I like like found family, fluff, hurt/comfort and kid fics. It's an emotional ride but that is oh so enjoyable. The way the characters are written and real events are rearranged to fit this fictional timeline is just so thoughtful and cohesive, it's incredibly good!

Alex/George

nothing but teeth by @janinaduszejko | E | 25k

@wunderlichkind's favourite fic

Alex reveals he‘s done bits with guys before. George is of course pining for him horribly but doesn‘t realize it yet. He keeps obsessing over it and then essentially asks alex to _show him_ and it‘s just very repressed and very very good!

wow this is simultaneously a great and an impossibly hard way to start into this discord! there are so many fics incredibly dear to me in the f1 fandom 😅 but going by my most frequent reread i‘ll nominate this amazing fic.

Carlos/Oscar

life in a hologram by @lealu | E | 56.5k (wip)

@killjoythereader's favourite fic

Carlos is a dependable field agent. Oscar is the unnervingly calm new recruit. Posing as fiancés at a billionaire’s wellness retreat wasn’t on Carlos’ bingo card for the year, but missing persons don’t investigate themselves.

here’s my rec! i know WIPs aren’t for everyone but this fic is well worth the wait. it’s suspenseful, sexy, and a true slow burn. i keep wanting to unravel the mystery, but i also don’t want the story to end.

Happy Death Race by @powerful-owl | E | 56k

@lydia-petze's favourite fic

Oscar is in a time loop and Carlos won't stop dying.

Time loop fic can be wonderful for distilling what is most important to a character. Oscar's personality is pulled back layer by layer as he strives desperately to keep Carlos alive loop after loop, only to fail over and over. Carlos himself is written perfectly as the good natured, goofy yet wise weirdo he presents himself as on camera. The story is structured intricately, layering and building and calling back on itself as the loops build. It's also unexpectedly hilarious for a story about one character who dies a lot and another who is being actively traumatized by it. It's not an outright comedy by any means, but the lighter moments keep the darker themes from ever getting too heavy to read.

His mum picks up his feet, sits, and puts them back down in her lap. Oscar kicks at her a little. “Rejection is never easy, love.”Oscar cranes his neck to glower back at her. “What?” “I’ve had my heart broken by heaps of men who looked like Carlos Sainz.” Oscar yearns for a camera to stare directly into. “I wasn’t rejected, oh my god. But thanks for the vote of confidence, mum.” “You haven’t told him?”Oscar sits fully up. “How are our only options here rejection or silence?” “Because if things were going great, you wouldn’t be here! And have you seen that man? He looks like a fuck up in the dude factory, like they accidentally set the handsomeness threshold too high. He’s right on the edge of something the human brain can’t comprehend, like that Sandra Bullock movie with the blindfolds—” “Oh my god.” “You’re a smoke show, love—” “Never say that again.” “But that man looks like he’s exclusively dating nepo baby boob models.” “What are boob models?” ‘The people he dates!”

Charles/Pierre

with strong hearts full, our souls unite by @hourcat | M | 12.6k |

@boxboxbrioche's favourite fic

Charles is an artist, Pierre is his best friend, and there is a Green Lantern who keeps on popping up in their life.

I first read this fic when it was published - over two years ago(!!!!!) It is a masterpiece of its genre. Secret identities, danger and baddies, and conflicting crushes that turn out to not be so conflicting afterwards. The author's ability to write realistic and fun dialogue is second to none, and the story is just so beautifully written. The reason I chose it as my number one favourite fic-apart from the fact that it's a MASTERPIECE- is that I find myself thinking about it so often, even two years later. When I'm at my local art store, when I'm doing chores, when I'm on long walks. It comes back to me, and I read it all over again, and I love it just as much as I did the first time. It has stayed with me, which I think is the mark of a truly fantastic piece of fanfiction. ❤️

Lance/George

Kamikaze by @pitconfirm | George/Lance | E | 12.4K

@lil-shiro's favourite fic

George has hated Lance for as long as he's known him, and Lance has never seemed to care. However, it turns out there are other ways to get a reaction. Or: What happens when you start hooking up with the guy you hate. Set in 2023 with great characterization of Lance and George. If you want to get into Glance, this is THE fic you have to read.

Absentmindedly, he pauses to massage Lance’s scalp, causing the boy to hum in satisfaction. He’s quite sweet when he’s not talking. “You know I’d let you fuck me, right?” Lance says, casually breaking the silence.

Lando/Oscar

you're burning up, i'm cooling down by @foggieststars | E | 12.3k

@maaxverstappen's favourite fic

Lando and Oscar have an understanding, Oscar doesn't get to come until Lando decides he's been good enough.

It’s a little known fact about me that this is my fav fic ever (I mean, I stalked Wren trying to find her socials to gush about it to her). It’s obviously hot as hell but it’s also so tender and the characterisation is unlike any other. This landoscar will forever be the blueprint of all landoscar to me and all 3 parts are fabbbb <3

He teases Oscar about it, sometimes. How badly he wants it - to win, to be good. Lando asks him if he ever gets hard in the car out of some twisted desperation to please people. He loves thinking about Oscar’s muscled thighs clenching together in the car, vibrations running through his whole body, sparking little points of contact. So Lando lets the little game drag on into the race build-up sometimes, when Oscar is okay with it.

i know this little chapel on the boulevard by @mathsgeek314 | T | 19.8k

@muffininthepitlane's favourite fic

A wedding planner and a florist fall in love while working on a bunch of weddings together, featuring mutual pinning, a lot of it. And cameos from other drivers as they’re the ones who get married and need a wedding planner.

“What did you bring me?” “I brought you, um,” Lando pauses to peer into the bags, “A BLT and a chocolate muffin.” “A BLT?” “Well there was no way I was buying you your usual – if you want a bagel with frickin’ salmon on it, you can buy that yourself.” Oscar lets out a quiet laugh. “And the muffin?” he asks. Lando lights up. “Yeah! You always say they look really nice but you keep talking yourself out of buying one, so I bought one for you. Can’t change your mind if I’ve already bought it.” Oscar can’t stop himself from smiling at how proud Lando looks of himself. “What?” he whines, “What are you laughing at?” “Nothing, don’t worry. Thank you for bringing me food, mate.” Oscar ends up getting lost in his work for another twenty minutes after Lando leaves before his stomach grumbles again and he remembers he does still need to eat. He pulls out the chocolate muffin and smiles at it before opening the other bag. He blinks. Inside the bag is a salmon and cream cheese bagel.

Max/Oscar

Eat Them Alive by @drivestraight | E | 57k

@kingkestrel favourite fic

Oscar lost Lando a championship and left McLaren. There was still a year in between. Or, Oscar ascends to RedBull racing godhood and smites down everyone in his path.

To me, this fic is the pinnacle. I keep thinking about this work after the fact, specifically Oscar's quiet to others but encompassing to himself ruthlessness and how his whole relationship with Lando is based on the fact that he thinks he's the same.

I keep seeing interviews from people Oscar works with and how they describe him as internally hungry but outwardly calm and I keep thinking back to this fic. About how much drive and fire burns inside that only people the same as him notice… Max notices.

thank you to @wolfiemcwolferson for the request. 🤍 there are a selection of pairings here - I hope some of these will hit the spot for you!

Mark/Sebastian

Treading Softly in My Head by @antimonyandthyme | M | 9k After the events of Multi21, Sebastian and Mark develop an unwilling soul-bond. Beautiful characterisation and pacing - this is a world you can really get lost in.

Sebastian leans in despite himself. In school, the teachers had talked about how special these things were. Words like love and compatibility thrown around like in a song. And here they are, two people who can barely tolerate each other. Mark and him sitting in this office, having this conversation, can’t be anything but a statistical anomaly.

Lewis/Sebastian

nsfw: A Thousand Shades of You by tianvette | E | 8k Lewis and Sebastian meet on a hike. Sebastian saves Roscoe. What follows is some of the sweetest, hottest, and most beautifully characterised Sewis that I have ever read. I loved this

'Skin pressed to skin, shadow and light. Lewis has a look in his eyes that’s almost reverence. Seb can’t believe Lewis is real. He wants to give him everything, to take everything in return.'

Charles/Sebastian

an evolutionary theory of the soul by @blimeycrikeygeorge | M | 28.4k Soulmates can hear each other's thoughts. Some of the most delightful Charles I think I have ever read - Anney truly is a master at capturing him! I love everything by this author.

'He wishes he could offer more than vague, meaningless words, but he doesn’t know how to ease his soulmate’s despair. He hesitates, torn between leaving and giving in to the urge to make his soulmate feel better, a need so deeply rooted in his bones that it feels vital to his own survival.'

Carlos/Lando

nsfw: Twin Flame by @phebess | E | 13.7k Beautiful soulmate slowburn. Everything Phebes writes is a joy, and this is no exception. Gorgeous pace and charactersation. Really funny banter. Love!

'A wave of grief, of betrayal, of loneliness. It rolls through him, so strong that he curls in on himself in bed. It's not his pain, but something about it feels... familiar.'

Carlos/Charles

nsfw: i feel so much, i feel so numb by @f1-stuff | E | 23k Charles has the name Carlos on his wrist - things get trickier as they become teammates. Gorgeous exploration of soul-mateism, familial pressures, and the relationship between teammates. Just lovely!

'Being teammates means they will have to toe the line between friend and foe, ally and enemy. Soulmate and stranger.'

Charles/Max

nsfw: carry me in your heart (you know you're never gonna leave mine) by @pgaslys | E | 30.1k Charles can, on occasion, see through his soulmate's eyes. This is such a beautiful story that tracks their developing relationships over the years. It was such a privilege to Beta this one - I still remember the first time I read it in full. I didn't stop once. Lovely.

Charles is aware that Max is the type of driver who can recognize his own talent without any bullshit. Takes one to know one. It’s often mistaken for arrogance but it’s not about that and they both know it.

Charles/Pierre

Tumblr Ficlet by @effervescentdragon | No Rating | 2.2k A world where you can feel your soulmate's heart beating alongside your own in your chest. This is, simply put - stunning. Everything Akira writes is stunning. I wish I could read this again for the first time.

'He smells so good, and Singapore is warm and wet, and Pierre is close and radiating contentment and heat, and Charles knows his heart skips a beat, and another. Before he knows, the picture is taken, and Pierre is looking at him strangely.'

counting stars in the sky by @river-ocean | T | 14k Pierre worries that he will never find his true soulmate. Just the most beautiful worldbuilding here - I could read thousands of words set in this world, it is so rich and well thought out.

'Adults around him often said that it was clear that he was an old soul -- that he had been through many lifetimes before this, and that the wisdom of those lifetimes was ingrained in him.'

it's not like I chose you, not like I tried by @wolfiemcwolferson & @duquesademiel | M | 16.7k Soulmates only begin aging past twenty-five once they've found their soulmate. I loved the concept of this one, and it was executed beautifully. Two gorgeous writing styles, together - what's not to love?

'But at the end of the day, they are Charles and Pierre, Pierre and Charles, and it doesn’t really matter what they say, because they just inherently trust each other.'

whatever our souls are made of (his and mine are the same) by @luisjuanmilton | No Rating | 17.5k Pierre and Charles are cursed to lose each other throughout time. A stunning star-crossed-lovers tale that explores devotion, friendship, and true love. I adored this!

I'm still not sure how much of it is supernatural and how much is Mark's insanity, and that's great. Even its formatting suggests a disjointed consciousness struggling to make sense of the world, or to find its way back to it. It's quite unique as a piece of fanfiction, I've never read anything like it.

'But I can dream. I dream of Fernando gazing out the window, over the grey-brown grass and pale sky, waiting for me. I am a monster, but I would love you like you that. Hungry, slavering, crawling to you on hands and knees, gnashing my teeth. Sitting together in the rotten bones of your bed, sharing the silk robe. The only thing we wait for is the world to collapse around us. I place the necklace, still warm, around your neck and you ask me to fix the clasp. I’ll do anything you ask me to. As long as I get to steal a kiss'