Five Days Earlier… (Wednesday)
James Potter had been in his office when the news broke. The Czech Formula 2 and Formula 3 team Charouz Racing System was up for sale.
He had heard rumours for a few weeks that the Prague based outfit had been looking for a new owner when the news had suddenly broken amongst several of the managers of various drivers in the two feeder series.
The eldest Potter had been considering investing in a team ever since his two children his been in Formula One, even coming close to buying out the Marussia team in 2015.
But he was glad he had not made that choice, as the Banbury based team, who had been formerly owned by airline and records tycoon Richard Branson, was haemorrhaging money, and had subsequently folded at the end of the following season.
But James had a good feeling with this. Formula 2 and Formula 3 were the steps up to Formula One, and with the opportunity there to guide another generation of drivers into becoming the stars of tomorrow, especially with his own children having benefited from his management, and his grandson making his own way in the sport, it was too good of a chance to turn down.
He knew from one of his former colleagues that a German team was looking at purchasing the team, and he knew he had to act fast.
Emailing his accountant, the choice was set.
He would make an offer for the Charouz Racing System team.
James spent the next few days studying the team's financials, as well as their track record in the feeder series. He also reached out to some of his contacts in the sport to get their opinions on the team and its potential.
Although the team were more of a midfield team, he had the idea that maybe, just maybe they could be a contender, especially if they had the right management and investment.
Feeling confident, James made his offer. It was a bold move, and he knew that there were no guarantees in the cutthroat world of motorsports.
He also thought about who he would want to bring in to run the team. He had a few names in mind, but he wanted someone who had experience working in Formula One...
...such as his daughter, Athena.
He knew that she had rejected a job offer from Toto Wolff, and her Sky TV contract was due up, so it was decided.
She would make for a good Team Principal.
By 2023, the brand new JLP Racing team would be on the track, ready to get results, and James had heard just about one up and comer who had won Formula 3, and one young driver who was looking for a race seat in Formula 3.
James smiled to himself as he thought about the potential of his new team. He knew that the key to success in motor sports was to have the right team in place, and he had a feeling that the two new rookies would be the perfect addition to the JLP Racing team.
Perfect to make into the stars of tomorrow.
The Next Day (Thursday)…
Jimmy Potter was a bit happier than he had been nearly 2 weeks ago. He was in Texas, and it would be just under a month until he could see Lis again.
Although they had facetimed each other, he still missed her, having seen her last just before he had departed Belgium for Zandervoort, Holland. It had been one of those rare days off, and he had managed to spend the day in the town of Stavelot with her, having looked at the fountain on the place Saint Remacle, the organ and three altars of the Institut Saint-Remacle on the avenue Ferdinand Nicolay and the historical and archaeological site of the old abbey church.
But video chats weren't as good as being able to being with her, and he missed her something chronic.
Seeing his dad had just finished in the Team Principals press conference, having been covering those duties for the person he was replacing, Franz Tost, Jimmy knew he had an ample opportunity to talk to his old man.
Watching as Harry had finished taking off the microphone that had been attached to him, and starting to leave the room where the conference was being held, he sighed.
"Dad?" he said, watching as the slowly greying man came out of the room, "Do you have a minute?"
Jimmy could see his dad was stressed, but he needed to talk to the elder Potter.
"Not really…" Harry started, to see his son's face. "Come with me."
The two started walking to where the paddock was, and as soon as they headed outside, Jimmy sighed.
"I need some advice." He said, just as his dad started walking faster. "About Lis and me"
Harry stopped and looked at his son, ready to go on a rant about being irresponsible.
"No…no… she's not… I mean we… I want to ask you how you and mum managed to cope. I mean I Facetime Lis, and we talk and that, but…"
"It's not as good as being with her, that you wish she was with you right now, and that you hate your conflicting schedules?"
Jimmy sighed. "Yeah, I mean, I know technology has advanced since your days…"
"Cheeky git!" Harry replied, knowing his son was joking. "We had email, we had landline phones, and mobiles as well!"
"As I was saying dad, how did you and mum manage to stay together?"
Harry guided his son over to where the motorhome that the AlphaTauri team was using was, and sat on the steps, patting the side of it so Jimmy could sit down. "Listen son, it was hard, I will admit that, and I know some days you will feel down, but the best advice I could give is to communicate. Don't go overboard though. Your granddad did with your gran, and she didn't appreciate it." Harry said, wrapping his arm round his son. "I'd also suggest whenever you get the chance, either arrange for her to come out to wherever you are, or make arrangements for you to get over to her."
"Is that what you did with mum?"
"I did son. When you mum and I started dating, after we had met at the 2000 British Grand Prix, we went on a date later that night, and then another one a day later when she had got back to Uni. Back then we only had basic text messages, none of that emoji stuff, and we could call and email each other.
"But I'd also drop into see her when I got the chance, or I'd bring her, your grandad Dan and your grandmother Emma, over to where I was. It was actually after the 2001 Monaco Grand Prix, when her studies at Oxford had ended that we had spent a couple of days in the city and…well, we made you."
"Dad!" Jimmy said, embarrassed at the thought of his parents doing that.
"Seriously, you need to just communicate, spend virtual date nights, and see each other whenever you can."
"Do you still do that with mum now, especially as you're back on the road a lot?" Jimmy asked.
Harry looked down at the floor when he was asked that by his son. It was then that he had realised that over the last two weeks, hadn't followed his own advice, all because of his anger.
"Dad?" Jimmy asked.
Harry looked at his son and looking at Jimmy he saw one of the four things he was proud of. He saw his eldest child, one of the five reasons he had to live, and he knew he had messed up.
"Not as much as I should do son. I mean, with the Malfoy thing, and throwing myself into my job, I've made myself a right idiot. I've been so angry with everything, and I know your mum and your gran will be… I need to phone 'Mione."
Jimmy hugged his dad, who was pulling his phone out of his pocket and stood up, feeling a bit better having talked to Harry. Watching as his dad started phoning his mum, Jimmy had an idea on how to keep his relationship alive, and how to keep it going for the better.
Two Days Later… (Saturday)
The news had reached the paddock as the first qualifying session was going on.
Dietrich Mateschitz, the founder of Red Bull, had passed away.
Following a meeting between Helmut Marko, Christian Horner and Harry, a decision had been made.
Getting approval from the FIA had been difficult, however the trio had managed to get them to agree with it.
They were going to run the AlphaTauri cars in the livery carried by the first car that had been ran by the team, back when they were known as the Torro Rosso team, the darker shade of blue compared to the blue that the Red Bull team, and the gold tipped nose cone. An adaption of the livery that the STR1 had carried in the 2006 season, but with the AlphaTauri name.
The Red Bull team were going to carry a livery based on the RB1, the car that the team had entered in the 2005 season, with the only logos being the Red Bull logo.
But both cars would sport two words.
Danke Didi.
A dedication to the man who had founded Red Bull.
The decision to pay tribute to Dietrich Mateschitz had been met with mixed reactions in the paddock. Some felt that it was a fitting tribute to the man who had brought so much success to the Red Bull brand, while others felt that it was a distraction from the racing.
But for Harry, it was important to honour the man who Harry had worked for as a driver at Red Bull, as a driver coach and advisor at the Red Bull Junior team, and finally now, as Team Principal at AlphaTauri.
As the news of the tribute spread, Harry received messages of support from several drivers and team principals in the paddock. It was heart warming to see the respect and admiration that Dietrich had garnered in the motorsport community.
Even though the news of Mateschitz's passing had cast a sombre mood over the paddock, Harry was determined to lead his team to success in the upcoming race. He knew that Dietrich would have wanted nothing less.
Working through the night, Harry and his team prepared the two AlphaTauri cars for the race, making sure that everything was in perfect condition. He knew it would be hard for the team, but everyone knew that they had a job to do and that their performance on the track would be the best way to honour Dietrich's memory.