Summary: Monaco regularly views her annual F1 Grand Prix and absolutely adores it. This year, there's a new racer who has the name 'Lovino Vargas'. Who is he and why does he seem so familiar to her?
Warnings: Heavy usage of French, Boring F1 descriptions, Slight OOC
Disclaimer: Hetalia belongs to Himaruya Hidekaz.
Translations available in the author's note.
P.S. If you want, you may skip the part of the race describing the whole thing, since it is pretty boring.
There were an overwhelming number of people present at the Circuit de Monaco, the commotion creating a clamorous atmosphere. The place was bustling with activity as tourists, reporters, mechanics and racers from all over the world gathered at the Circuit, preparing for one of the most popular races ever.
The Grand Prix de Monaco.
Every year, Monaco herself attended the prestigious event. She held a particular fascination for watching the racers at her circuit speeding at high velocities, their cars straining to match the wills of their drivers.
The Circuit de Monaco has been said to be one of the hardest Circuits in the entire Formula One series, with its narrow course and tight corners. It was considered to be one of the most important circuits in a racer's career.
Monaco took pride in her circuit, it being one of the most famous annual tourist attractions. She had been the one to inaugurate its opening, racing in it herself. She enjoyed the fast pace driving and the adrenaline that came with it.
The Monegasque walked through the crowds at the spectator seats towards the VIP box reserved for her and whomever she chose to invite. France had accepted once again this year, though Romano had declined due to some business venture.
As she entered the VIP box, she immediately noticed France lounging in his luxurious cushioned seat, drinking a glass of champagne. She took the seat next to him, and he poured another glass of champagne from the table on his side.
"Bonjour ma chère Monaco," The Frenchman greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and held out the glass of champagne to her. "I know that you prefer la champagne over le vin." He smiled cheekily, winking at her.
"Bonjour à toi France," she greeted him back, accepting the glass of champagne with an eyebrow raised. "It seems that you know me very well, after all these years." Her usual stern expression was absent, as she looked softly at her once-guardian.
"Where is Romano?" The Frenchman asked, taking a look around. "He is usually here before me. It is not like him to be so late."
"He's not coming this year." She took a sip of her champagne before continuing, "He said that he had some business to attend to and that he wouldn't make it in time." She shrugged, not giving it much thought though she was slightly disappointed.
He looked at her with knowing eyes. "This is the first time that he hasn't attended le Grand Prix." He turned towards the view of the Circuit, silently appraising it.
"You are forgetting what we are, France." Monaco replied tensely, absentmindedly twirling the contents of her glass. "We may have all the time in the world, but we still have our duties to do."
France sighed quietly, knowing that it was useless to argue with her when she was in that mood. He didn't want them to keep ignoring each other for the rest of the day. He decided to change the subject instead, to take her mind off the Italian man that she wouldn't admit she was enamoured by.
"What are the chances of Renault or Bugatti winning this year?" The Frenchman smoothly asked, ignoring the awkward atmosphere surrounding them.
Monaco peered at him through her glasses and decided that she didn't want to strain their relationship any further. Her friendship with her brother figure meant a lot to her, though she didn't show it openly.
"Slim to none." She replied with brutal honesty, causing France to pout playfully at her lack of confidence in his teams.
"Well, since it is your circuit, who do you think will win?" The Frenchman huffed, his eyes twinkling as he bantered with the Monegasque. The tension in the air faded away as Monaco relaxed and sipped her champagne.
"Would you perhaps like to bet with me?" Monaco's eyes shone with mischief. She looked out at the racing track, her eyes focused on the cars, analysing them with scrutiny. The weather report suggested that it would rain on this day, so the mechanics were focusing on using tires with more grip.
"Non, merci." France shook his head and set aside his drink. Everyone knew that betting against Monaco would always come out in her favour. Gambling was her domain and she knew it, and used it to her advantage.
Monaco looked at France from the corner of her eyes. "Scared that you'll lose?" she teased him, smiling at his reluctance to bet with her.
"As if! I just don't think that it's worth betting on something so trivial." The Frenchman scoffed, then grinned, showing that he meant no disrespect to perhaps the only sport liked by the Monegasque.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, mon frère." She replied, smirking at him. He graced her with a haughty look, trying to look offended, but failed miserably when she giggled and joined her with his own laughter.
"I heard that there is a newcomer this year." France remarked as they regained their breath. "It's highly unusual for newcomers to join in unless they did vraiment bien in the qualifications."
Monaco frowned in consideration. "I did not hear of this." She raised her glass to her lips and drank the last of her champagne, handing the glass to the Frenchman to set aside.
"I haven't watched the previous rounds of le Grand Prix, but I heard that he did really well in them." France said, leaning back in his chair. "C'est vraiment curieux."
"You know that I only watch the races here." The Monegasque played with her braid, lost in thought. "What team is he on?" She asked, intrigued by the mystery racer.
"Aucun idée," He shrugged nonchalantly. "We will just have to wait and see, non?"
She nodded and settled down, waiting for the race to begin.
"Bienvenue à la Grand Prix de Monaco!"
The speakers bellowed from all around the grid, followed by translations in various languages. Everyone's attention shifted to focus on the track, where the drivers were climbing into their cars.
"Cette année, il y a quelqu'un nouveau dans la course!" The commentary started off with the announcement that there would be a new racer entering this year, garnering shocked gasps and whispers for those who didn't follow the previous races.
"Due to popular request, the English commentators will be given priority this year."
At that statement, France made a sour face, as though he had swallowed a lemon, though to his credit, he didn't say anything.
"Here are a thousand of our new best friends. Somehow they don't seem to make it to Korea and some of those other races where it's all a bit lonely on the grid, but everybody wants to be on this grid." The spectators chuckled at the joke, knowing that it was true.
Monaco smirked, knowing that her circuit was a part of the Triple Crown and her Casino Square was a popular tourist attraction.
"Don't get a swollen head, ma fifille." France chuckled. "Soon, the only thing that will contain your ego is the sky."
The Monegasque glared at him with fire in her eyes. If looks could kill, he would be buried six feet under.
"As previously announced, the newcomer is hailed as a prodigy in racing though he has been racing for only six months!"
Monaco had a hard time believing that. Racers needed years to perfect their control over their cars, prodigy or not. She decided that she would wait and see if he was really as good as the others made him out to be.
"Replacing Fernando Alonso for this grid is the Italian newcomer Lovino Vargas, who will be racing for Ferrari."
"It seems like Ferrari decided that they'll be represented by an Italian native this time, perhaps a demonstration of patriotism?"
The commentators continued talking while France glanced at the Monegasque, who had a puzzled look on her face.
"That name… It sounds familiar, as though I've heard it somewhere before." She contemplated it for a moment before turning to France. "Does it a ring a bell to you?"
"N-Non," The Frenchman denied, looking slightly guilty. "I do not recall ever hearing that name." He nervously poured himself another glass of champagne and sipped slowly.
Monaco looked at him suspiciously, but didn't press it further. She thought France to be a terrible liar with an even more terrible poker face; it was easy to tell that he was bluffing, but she knew that he wouldn't give out whatever secret he was hiding.
She turned her gaze back to the racing circuit, trying to pick out the mysterious new driver. To her dismay, she saw that he was wearing his helmet, making her unable to identify him.
While Monaco was lost in thought, the sound of the commentators brought her back from her stupor.
"And the race is about to begin! We're starting off with the traditional warm-up laps– Oh, it looks as though Schumacher isn't happy with his five-place grid penalty!"
Michael Schumacher was placed sixth on the grid due to his penalty for causing an avoidable collision with Bruno Senna at the Spanish Grand Prix. The first place went to Mark Webber who looked decidedly pleased with the arrangement.
Lovino Vargas was placed fifth in the grid, the spot which was held by his predecessor in the previous race, Fernando Alonso.
They started their engines and waited for the signal.
"The start lights come on. Look but never stare. Like bulls, when they see red, they get ready to charge."
"5,4,3, 2, 1… GO!"
The cars started off.
Both Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg got away cleanly, gaining first and second positions respectively, while the rest squabbled behind them.
Lovino Vargas squeezed through the gap between Romain Grosjean and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, but Grosjean clipped the rear left wheel of the Ferrari which in turn pushed him outward on the track and into the path of fast starting Michael Schumacher.
Both France and Monaco leaned forward, trying to predict the outcome of the situation.
"I bet you €10 that there will be a collision."
France grimaced, but French pride demanded that he stand up for his fellow Frenchman.
"Well then, €15 that they do not collide."
Schumacher, who was already right next to the wall, had nowhere to go, and as a result Grosjean's left rear wheel was forced into the Mercedes car's front right, severely damaging the Lotus's suspension.
This sent Grosjean into a spin, and he ended up broadside across the track at the entry to turn one. Other drivers tried to avoid crashing into each other and the stricken Grosjean, however some failed.
"Hand it over, frére." The Monegasque held out her hand, smirking at her brother.
He took out his wallet and dug out €15, grudgingly handing it over to her. A bet was a bet and his honor would not let him back out of it.
Sebastian Vettel, starting from ninth, clipped the front wing of the still moving Lotus but his car was undamaged. He and a number of others took the shortcut behind the apex of the first corner to avoid the mess.
"It's hard enough driving around here when you're by yourself, let alone buried up the gearbox and looking at the rear wing of another car."
Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi, who was right behind Vettel, decided to avoid Grosjean by passing him on the racing line. Before the Lotus finally came to a complete stop it rolled backwards slightly and its right rear tyre clipped the left rear of slow moving Kobayashi sending him into the air, nearly landing on Button's McLaren.
"What happened to the Kobayashi who was so stunning in the last two races last year? Where did he go?"
Monaco wondered the same as she looked at Sauber which was tossed in air. Perhaps her circuit had gotten more difficult?
At the very back of the field, amidst all the chaos Pastor Maldonado, starting last, braked too late and crashed into the back of Pedro de la Rosa's HRT, terminally damaging both his front wing and de la Rosa's rear wing.
Maldonado retired later in the lap. In order to permit safe clearance of the debris, the safety car was deployed.
"What a massive collision, folks! Five cars taken out just like that!" The commentator's voice resonated over the commotion caused by the accident. "And the safety car's out!"
"Look at this beautiful new Safety Car, the SLS; very sexy. Tell you what's not sexy: this could be the Gridwalk from hell."
The cars trailed behind the safety car at a leisure pace, waiting for the grid to be cleared.
"Surely the most expensive traffic jam in the world." The commentator joked wryly.
The safety car was called in again during the second lap after Grosjean and Maldonado's cars had been removed, while Kobayashi and de la Rosa made it back to the pits under their own power.
Damage to de la Rosa's car forced his retirement, but following checks, the Sauber was able to rejoin the race in 21st place. Schumacher was told by his team that his car seemed fine after the contact with Grosjean and he was able to continue.
On the restart nearly all drivers held their positions. Webber led Rosberg and Hamilton in an unchanged top three from the grid. Meanwhile, Kobayashi returned to the pits where he retired due to suspension damaged from the first corner incident with the Lotus.
"It is a shame that all these magnifique voitures are damaged, oui?" Monaco remarked, sighing dejectedly. "Every year, there are such accidents sur mon circuit."
"Ma pauvre Monaco, why don't you buy another yacht to cheer yourself up?" The Frenchman asked sarcastically, mocking her love of yachts.
"Quelle merveilleuse idée!" The Monegasque exclaimed happily, seemingly not noticing the sarcasm coating his words. She sighed dreamily, thinking of the Lady Mouradocked at her harbor and decided that she wanted another yacht just like it.
After 13 laps the threat of rain forced teams to not pit stop early so as not to change tyres again if it did eventually rain. Petrov pitted on lap 16 only to retire as he had an electrical problem. As the track temperature dropped both Ferraris, in fourth and fifth place, started to pick up pace and set quick lap times.
"Did you know that RACECAR spells RACECAR backwards?"
Monaco snickered as France gave a long suffering sigh, already bored with the race. He only came to these events to please his dear sister and to spend time with her.
"These Englishmen are terrible jokers." The Frenchman complained vehemently, not in the least entertained.
By lap 23 the sole remaining Sauber of Sergio Pérez was the only car making multiple overtaking moves, up to 15th from his 23rd place grid spot.
Meanwhile, Schumacher pressured a struggling Kimi Räikkönen as the Lotus driver was told to stay out and wait for predicted rain. Thanks to Räikkönen's pace, a gap formed that allowed Rosberg to pit on lap 27, to switch to the soft compound tyre, and return to the track without any nearby traffic.
"We're in lap 28 of 70 of this race that should be finished by… Wednesday, at this rate."
"What he says is right!" France despaired, throwing his arms up in the air. "Mon derrière est aussi engourdi comme une statue!"
The Monegasque looked at him with amusement dancing in her eyes, her legs crossed as she leaned back in her seat. "You are such a drama queen."
France huffed with indignation and didn't deign her with a retort.
Leaders Webber and Hamilton followed Rosberg's lead and pitted the next lap.
Monaco leaned forward, her eyes following the mystery driver as he took the lead.
"He's good…" She commented, intrigued by him. He drove through her circuit as though he had been doing so for as long as she had. She was surprised that he was able to drive as well as he had, being a competitor for only six months.
Vargas, now in first place, stayed out for another lap during which he set consecutive fastest sectors by nearly a second before following the others and switching to the soft tyre.
So quick was Vargas that he came out of the pits well ahead of Hamilton.
Massa inherited the lead and pitted on the next lap. This left Vettel, who had not stopped, in the lead with a ten-second advantage over his teammate, Webber.
As the race went on, Vettel extended his lead over Webber and the rest of the field.
On lap 38 Pérez was given a drive-through penalty for a late pit entry that had impeded Räikkönen. The same lap also saw Button, who started on the soft tyre, change for the super-soft compound.
In an already poor race for Button, his pit stop allowed the Caterham of Heikki Kovalainen to slip ahead of him as he rejoined.
"I can't watch my Twitter during the race, 'cause I can hardly take my eyes off the screen."
Monaco just focused on the race while the Frenchman rolled his eyes, not commenting.
The gap to Vettel had settled to sixteen seconds as he still waited for the forecast rain. Massa got a radio message asking him to close the gap to Hamilton as there was a possibility that Vettel could split the two when he rejoined.
Further back there was a significant gap from sixth to seventh, where Schumacher was being followed by Jean-Éric Vergne, who had pitted early, and the two Force Indias. Kovalainen held twelfth place ahead of both Button and Toro Rosso driver Daniel Ricciardo.
"It's almost like Schumacher doesn't know when to give up."
"You mean on his career, or on that corner, or on that lap?"
Both France and Monaco laughed, agreeing on the hilarity of the statement.
Forty-five laps into the race Vettel finally took his only pit stop for the race.
"Sebastian Vettel finally shows that he's human!" The commentator exclaimed, surprised that it had taken him so long to get pitted.
As he rejoined, teammate Webber reclaimed the lead while Vettel was able to only marginally get ahead of Hamilton. As the leaders lapped backmarkers, the gap between the top six was less than six seconds. Räikkönen's engineer told him that no rain was now expected.
By lap 48, Pérez was 2.7 seconds per lap quicker than the leaders and set a number of fastest laps. Schumacher began to complain of a problem on lap 59 but still continued.
"How much more boredom must I endure?" France moaned miserably. "The things I do for you, Monaco!"
"The things you do for me?" Monaco questioned with an eyebrow raised. "I don't recall forcing you to come here. If anything, you came here of your own will."
However, on lap 61 he let Vergne past him and continued to slow. Spots of rain started to show in some parts of the track but nothing of real concern for the drivers. A few laps later, the seven time world champion entered the pits and retired from the race with a fuel pressure problem.
In consecutive laps, Pic and Ricciardo both retired from the race owing to an electrical fault and a steering problem, respectively.
With 10 laps remaining, the first six drivers were split by fewer than four seconds. On lap 69, Vergne pitted to switch to intermediate tyres; the only driver to do so in the race. Still behind Kovalainen, Button locked up his brakes next to the swimming pool and spun.
Two laps after Button spun, he had caught back up to Kovalainen. Button attempted an overtake on Kovalainen around the outside of turn 1. Button, who was able to brake later in his McLaren, launched down the outside of Kovalainen in the braking zone of turn 1.
At the same time Kovalainen moved left and the Finn's front wing hit Button's front right tyre, causing a puncture on the McLaren, and Kovalainen damaged his front wing. A subsequent pit stop for Kovalainen put him down to 13th place, meanwhile Button retired from the race due to his puncture.
"The drivers have been saying that these are the worst tyres they've ever driven on. It's all relative– I think the drivers have become spoiled these days."
The gap at the front remained close; however, no driver was able to move ahead.
In the final few laps rain still threatened, but each of the six leaders held their own as they lapped cars.
By the final lap, artificial light from cameras was becoming more prominent as daylight faded with the threat of darker rain clouds. Ultimately, Webber was able to keep Rosberg, Vargas and Vettel at bay for his second career victory at the Monte-Carlo circuit.
"Finally, it is over! C'est fini!" France rejoiced at the end of the Grand Prix. He had no time to do his little dance however, as Monaco got up and dragged him out by the hand.
"Have you forgotten already?" They cut through the crowd leaving the circuit, heading towards the direction of the Parc Fermé. "I am required to present the winners with the medals for winning."
As she reached the Parc Fermé, the Monegasque stopped and gasped softly in surprise.
There, standing on the podium in third place, was none other than Romano. He looked straight at her and winked boldly, mouthing the word 'Later'.
Monaco steeled herself and walked up to the podium. She congratulated the winners, shook their hands, and placed the medals around their necks. She also pecked their cheeks, as per tradition.
When she reached Romano, she congratulated him stiffly and placed the medal around his neck. Though, when she attempted to kiss his cheek, he swiftly turned his head and pulled her into a heated kiss.
Her eyes involuntarily closed as she felt the emotions the Italian poured into the kiss.
His burning passion, his desire, his craving for her.
His mouth moved smoothly against her own, his lips slightly chapped and his hand softly *caressing her face, a contradiction to the enthusiasm he exhibited in his kiss.
Her heart ached when she realized that her slight infatuation had grown more than what she had expected.
After what seemed like an eternity, they parted, accompanied by the cat calls and wolf whistles of the other drivers.
The Monegasque blushed heavily when she noticed France giving her a thumbs-up with a sassy wink. Romano's arms wrapped around her and she allowed herself to relax onto his chest.
"Funny how the drivers just wanna go and kiss the girls. Oh, and a little hug too."
"I'm sure she appreciated a sweaty hug!"
The Italian's chest vibrated as he chuckled softly, in an excellent mood for once. He leaned down to her ear and whispered.
"Ti amo, bella."
Translations:
ma chère - my dear
à toi - to you
la champagne - champagne
le vin - wine
mon frère - my brother
vraiment bien - really well
C'est vraiment curieux - It's very curious
Aucun idée - No idea
Bienvenue à la Grand Prix de Monaco! - Welcome to the Monaco Grand Prix!
Cette année, il y a quelqu'un nouveau dans la course! - This year, there is someone new in the race!
ma fifille - my little girl (old-fashioned)
magnifique voitures - magnificent cars
sur mon circuit - on my circuit
Ma pauvre - My poor
Quelle merveilleuse idée! - What a wonderful idea!
Mon derrière est aussi engourdi comme une statue! - My butt is as numb as a statue!
C'est fini! - It's over!
Parc Fermé - Closed park
(There is no podium as such at the race. Instead a section of the track is closed after the race to act as parc fermé, a place where the cars are held for official inspection. The first three drivers in the race leave their cars there and walk directly to the royal box where the 'podium' ceremony is held, which is considered a custom for the race.)
Ti amo, bella - I love you, beautiful.
Author's Note:
Sources: Wikipedia
I would like to thank both my dear Monaco roleplayer as well as my beta for helping me with this one. I had much difficulty with the characterizations, so their help was invaluable.
The commentator was none other than Martin Brundle, who I stole lines from.
Yes, I am aware the race must be quite boring for those who read this to get to the romantic part, which is quite short, if you notice. Also, you must forgive my heavy usage of french words. I'm well-versed in french, having it as part of my education for 7 years.
Now, this is a rare pair if I ever saw one.
Reviews and constructive criticisms are welcome.
Cheerios.