"So you are telling me that you have no idea what tomorrow is?" Lando chased after Daniella as she made her way to give the interviews after the qualifying session.
"Nope," she tried hard not to smile. "Besides the sprint race I don't recall anything else."
Since last night Lando has been trying to know what Daniella has planned for his birthday and she has been pretending she forgot his birthday, which is driving him crazy.
Lando looked disappointed but it soon disappeared when he caught a glimpse of Daniella trying not to smile.
"I know you remember," he smiled as he threw his arm around her shoulder, ignoring the stares from everyone around them.
"I seriously don't Lando," she replied.
"I don't believe you," he playfully pulled her cheeks before both going their separate ways for their interviews.
***
"I love it," Daniella excitedly said as she looked at the photo of the birthday cake she ordered for her boyfriend. "And I know that he is going to love it as well."
"Does he suspect anything?" Myra asked as they both entered the driver's room and closed the door.
"Oh yes!," Daniella let out a laugh. "I tried to pretend that I forgot his birthday as long as I can but I guess he knows me too well."
"And you are not good at lying," Myra added.
Daniella nodded as she took a seat and let out a deep breath.
They talked for a few minutes before a knock at the door interrupted their conversation.
Myra went and opened the door.
"Hey," Max looked at Daniella. "Can we talk...alone?"
"Yeah sure," Daniella nodded. "Come in."
Max stepped inside and Myra left them alone and closed the door.
"What's up?" she stood up.
"Is it true that you are going to Mercedes?" Max asked, looking serious and with a hint of disappoint.
"Christian told you that?" Daniella huffed. She can already tell that Max didn't like the news.
"Yes," he replied. "But why are you leaving? You had a very good contract with Red Bull for the next three years and you and I made a very good team."
"I have my reasons Max," Daniella replied calmly.
"Is the reason more money?" he looked directly in her eyes.
Daniella could see the rising anger in him.
"It's not about money," she huffed. "It's about...you know what, ask Christian. I am sure he managed to leave out the part why I am leaving."
Max expression soften a little bit. Christian did left out the reason and just told him that his teammate is leaving and will drive for their rival next year.
"What is going on?" he asked. "What are you not telling me? Did someone say something to you? Is it one of the engineers or.."
"Max," Daniella cut in. "Christian is the issue, and also the fact that he said I will demoted to Alpha Tauri if I don't win the driver's championship this year...and he did bunch of other stuff which I don't want to talk about."
Max was speechless, he didn't know how to respond.
"He didn't tell anything about the demotion..." Max looked shocked.
"I am not surprised," Daniella replied. "But Max, you have to understand why I can't stay in this team anymore."
Max nodded. All his anger towards her faded away and is now directed to the team principal. He like Daniella as his teammate and really wants her to stay for many reasons but sadly there is nothing he can do now to prevent her from leaving.
"Max.." Daniella said softly.
"No, I understand," he replied. "I would have done the same thing if I were you."
***
"Lewis will most likely get disqualified and will start last so you will start P2," Nate explained to Daniella as they headed out. "and Valtteri will start P1 so you will have to get past him in the beginning otherwise it will be difficult later, they have more pace this time."
Daniella nodded.
"And don't forget you have the contract signing after the sprint race tomorrow," Myra added. "and they will announce the news after the grand prix."
"I thought they were going to announce after the triple header," Daniella looked a little confused.
"Yeah but Toto said something about Christian getting on his nerves so he wants to announce as soon as possible," Myra explained.
"Those two are like a divorce couple," Nate commented, earning a laugh from Daniella and Myra.
But their laughter died when Toto approached them.
"Who are like a divorce couple?" he questioned.
"Umm...my mom and dad," Nate stuttered.
"Didn't they just celebrate their thirtieth anniversary last month?" Myra asked, feeling confused.
Nate nudged his girlfriend to stop talking.
Toto chuckled before looking at Daniella. "Do you have ten minutes to spare?"
"Yes, of course," she smiled.
"Let's go inside and talk," Toto smiled as he guided her to the Mercedes hospitality.
A few feet away Max stood, looking angry as he and the team principal saw Daniella talking with Toto and following him to the hospitality.
"You have only yourself to blame," Max looked at Christian.
"I really didn't know she was going to take such a drastic step," Christian tried to defend himself.
"Really?" Max scoffed. "So you thought she was going to stay silent and tolerate whatever you said or did?"
Christian remained silent as he didn't have an answer.
Max was beyond furious. He is going to lose his teammate who he has grown attached to over the season.
***
"So I know you have prepared a cake," Lando proudly said as Daniella entered his room. "What else are you planning for my birthday?"
"How did you find out about the cake?" Daniella gasped.
"Daniel told me," Lando replied.
"And how did Daniel find out?"
"He might have told Myra that I am upset because you forgot my birthday and she may have told him about the cake," Lando replied, trying not to smile.
"God! You sent Daniel to find out...you are worse than Collins," Daniella groaned.
"Hey, take that back, I am nothing like you sister," Lando acted offended. "I was only a little curious."
Daniella shook her head as she smiled. Lando was excited for his birthday and she intends to make it special for him.
"Besides, I knew you didn't forget," he smuggle replied as he pressed his lips on her.
"You know me so well huh?" she kissed back.
"I know you better than anyone else in the world Ella."
**********
A/N: Thoughts about Dani and Max?
Also Lewis performed so well this this weekend. He qualified p1, then got disqualified, then managed to overtake more than half of the grid in the sprint race and managed to win the grand prix staring from P10. Once again proving why he is the seven time world champ.
And what is up with McLaren? At this point it seem like they just want to comfortably sit in P4 for the constructors.