Thinking about Jake's problems with Bradley in my formula 1 au.
Jake grew up in a rich family that could definitely support his racing career. He's definitely the first in his family to be a racing driver, let alone a Formula 1 driver. Yet, even as a racer, he is still seen as the golden boy of his family, who outshine his siblings. (Even when they follow in the same business nonsense his father does).
His relationship with his parents is questionable, especially with his mother. He is definitely spoiled rotten but also borderline abused. His father is tyrant, that while he loves his family, he was definitely neglectful. All the while he gets abused too, he still sees his mother as this "fragile" woman he has to keep happy. So basically emotionally neglectful father and an overbearing mother.
So basically he is an entitled spoiled prick who is definitely talented. You can't even call him a pay driver because he is that good.
Unfortunately, his entitlement is the reason why he doesn't have friends. He is well-loved until people realizes he is just too much. Too prideful, and too entitled.
His dynamic with Bradley is interesting. Because while Jake was still driving in like Formula 3, he sees Bradley win the Formula 2 championship, and decided "I want him and I will beat him." So fast-forward to Formula 1, he proceeds to become the biggest menace to Bradley. It doesn't help when Bradley himself was going through so many things during that time period. Media also painted Jake as this first rookie to ever become a title-contender (but people were polarized by him because he was an asshole, but at the same time unintentionally funny and talented.)
Things do eventually get better between them when Bradley goes to Ferrari and eventually seeks professional help. Bradley does end up having a fist-fight with Jake. Jake deserved it though. But then Bradley warmed up faster to Jake so he wasn't so lonely when he won his first championship in a Ferrari.
why is making a curriculum vitae so hard to do when you're still starting out. oh my god. i need tips for writing a CV without experience and stuff. especially when i'm back at freshman year because i switch majors ksdjksdjfkdsjf gotta lock in fr fr
The race was supposed to go well. Until it doesn't.
Bradley was pole position the other day, now he is just behind Fritz, who is now currently leading at P1. Then there is Jake at his rear at P3.
Right now, Bradley speeds his car down the straight, intending to get as close as he can to Fritz so he could overtake him at the next turn. So he does. He sends the McLaren full speed ahead, closing the distance between him and the Mercedes.
Fritz was good. No doubt about it. He moved like lightning. Aggressive and opportunistic. He strikes when he is given a gap to close, he does it fast and hard, leaving people behind him in dust. But he had a problem. He can't hold his position forever. Not when Bradley is at his rear, taking his time, just waiting for him to make a mistake.
They approach the corner, slowing all of them down as they brake. Fritz keeps it tight, preventing Bradley from passing. The McLaren tries again when they reach another turn but he gets blocked off.
While Bradley puts pressure on the Mercedes, in his periphery, he sees Jake in the mirrors. He can see him slowly gaining up on him. It won't be long until the Red Bull catches up and he would have to fend him off too. So Bradley focuses on Fritz and the lead.
They're in the straights again— after completing another lap. This time Bradley goes flat out. He puts his car at the highest gear and pushes his foot down the pedal. Bradley does find the gap and he closes it. Swerving on the outside, effectively overtaking Fritz, and getting the lead back. But Jake follows him. Now it's just between him and Seresin, fighting for the first position.
Jake hunts him down for the lead. He attacks while Bradley defends. The Red Bull keeping pressure on the McLaren as the two of them sends it on the track.
Everytime Jake tries to pass, Bradley blocks. Everytime Jake is about to close the gap, Bradley takes it away, never leaving space. If Jake gets pushed out of the track, then that is his problem. Because on Bradley's life will he let him have this. They almost make contact but Jake backs off, swerving to the side, he continues to struggle for the lead.
Another lap passed and they are back on the straights of the track. This time, Jake manages to move out of the slipstream. Now both Bradley and Jake are side by side, waiting on who will overtake. Two of them, wheel-to-wheel. Sending it down the road like they were drag racing. Jake wants to pass, Bradley wants to block him off. It was starting to get dangerous. Bradley just needed to get to the first corner before Jake does, but it seems they both have the same idea.
They are rapidly approaching the first turn in that corner. Both of them refusing to back down. Bradley just needed a little bit more, planning to break later than he usually would. It would guarantee him his position. It was more aggressive than he would like but if that's what it takes to keep the lead. Then so be it.
Bradley does reach that moment and he brakes, he gets to the corner earlier, but what he didn't anticipate was Jake braking a little too late. The momentum from Jake's car sends him to Bradley, T-boning him.
Jake crashes into Bradley. Their cars colliding with each other, sending both of them out of the track, sliding through the gravel before stopping. Bradley didn't even see it coming, it happened so fast that it took him seconds to recover from the whiplash. The shock wears off, replaced by searing anger that aims to seek and destroy. Bradley lets out a string of curses, not hearing his race engineer asking if he was okay, before ripping out the headrest of his car and throwing it out in the gravel.
The marshalls then soon arrived to take care of the situation. He gets out of the McLaren about to give out the beating of a lifetime to Jake, but he gets stopped by the marshall, telling him about something. So he just circles back to his car and kicks the tires before being escorted out of track.
Fritz wins Spain. Bringing home a Grand Prix and a Constructor’s Championship win to Mercedes. A double podium even with his teammate, Neil, scoring P2. Javy ended up in the podium too at P3, still scoring a point for Red Bull and for himself.
Bradley watches from the garage. Seeing the three spray champagne, congratulating each other, and just having a great time.
He could've been up there. Hell, even Jake could've been up in that podium, had he just backed off instead of overcommitting and sending both of them crashing. Now both of them were out of the race, with no wins and a fine that Bradley knows is expensive. He could only sigh. Trying to tamper down the simmering frustration. He breathes in and out before deciding he should just go back to the hotel.
I am still bothered about that one comment about George not being WDC material. Because what do you mean he's not championship material??? This is literally the same guy who got called a nerd by teams because he sent PowerPoint Presentations on why they should choose him. He even sent his Curriculum Vitae to Toto Wolff. Who the hell even does that? F1 isn't your corporate job where you can just do that. But guess what George did it anyway and at the end of the day he still got chosen, because his presentations and CV showed his stats and what he can do. Like come on! He's also GPDA director for crying out loud, he knows his way around things. He's clever and persistent. Which are one of the values of a champion.
You know, I don't think we have explored Bradley's hyperindependence. Even if it was explored, it's not really well written (no offense) or it gets swept under. It makes sense considering the shit he went through. He wants to look and be capable. Like come on now.
George Russell angst sounds so good right now if you see the visions of Nico Rosberg or even Sebastian Vettel being channeled. Like imagine George, who is clever and persistent enough to win that championship. He just needed to be selfish enough to actually take it.
My thoughts continue. How did Jake and Bradley get their nicknames in f1. For Natasha it would make sense that she would have Phoenix, because she dropped a significant amount of positions only to get them back immediately; or she ended up in a crash that ended with flames but she survived, and then proceeded to beat everyone the next day. Mickey (yes, I am including him), is called Fanboy because everyone knows how much of a fan he is of the old drivers. (He's a big fan of Goose... do with that information how you will.)
A continuation of this thought for Formula 1 drivers Hangster.
Bradley gets signed to Ferrari after his contract ended with McLaren. There were other teams that wanted the driver because of the sheer skill and audacity for almost winning last year's championship. Cyclone, who was the team principal of Ferrari, poached him the moment he heard Bradley was being let go. Bradley was skeptical at first considering the reputation of the team, but this is Beau Simpson, and he had been pulling miracles out of nowhere with Ferrari this past few seasons. Along with Warlock, who will be his racing engineer, Phoenix as his second seater with Bob as her race engineer. They will bring redemption and glory back to Ferrari.
Jake on the other hand is in Red Bull, and he had just recently won his first championship after battling Bradley for it this last season. Jake is Red Bull's golden boy. He had consistently proven how good of a driver he is. With Javy as his second seater, they kept Red Bull a dominant team on the grid. Maverick, who is Red Bull's team principal, made sure that Jake is being treated well. In fact, Pete Mitchell is making sure that everyone in his team is doing good. Now all Jake has to do is to keep winning.
But winning without a challenge is boring, and Jake after hearing that Bradley went to Ferrari, was even more interested in the development of things. The fight for the championship was one of the most exhilarating moments in Jake's racing career. Because after all, it was his first WDC, and Bradley made him fight for it. Jake knows he is good, but Bradley is also in his own level. After all, before going to F1, Rooster was F2 champion before moving on. Besides, if Bradley manages to win a championship in Ferrari (and he does), then that would make the redemption even sweeter.
(I would like to add that while Hangster are both having their own romantic plot, Bradley will unfortunately still go through worse before it gets better. Because Maverick, as classic TGM-style narrative, basically pulled him away from it. Bradley was considered for Red Bull but it never happened. He almost went to back-marking teams for it, until McLaren saved him. Bradley also has own issues with Jake because he thought he was replaced by Mav, for well not being like him (and Goose). Can you imagine Maverick seeing Bradley have a better father-son relationship with Cyclone? That would mess him up really bad. I can also see Bradley needing to be wrangled into therapy just to be able to help him. But it does eventually get better when Rooster does finally confront theses things and learns who he is outside of driving.)
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