I have to go, Daniel repeats to himself, the realisation crashing through him like a terrible, inevitable wave.

He has to leave Red Bull. Before he and Max become Lewis and Nico, or worse, before Max and the team’s hunger for championships pushes Daniel to trim his wings.

Daniel once made a promise to Seb. He’ll be damned if he doesn’t try his best... See more

Valtteri’s gaze slides from Lewis’s crooked feather up to Seb’s face again. He tilts his head as his lips twitch in a small, resigned smile, as if to say, I understand.

Seb is not the only one who should be Lewis’s flock, but isn’t.

Seb returns Valtteri’s smile with a wry one of his own, and turns back to the briefing.

He thinks of teammates and... See more

But most of all he speaks about growing out his wings, and what that means for racing.

He knows his responsibility after what happened with George. He knows what he needs to stand up for so that what happened to Daniel and George and so many other drivers won’t happen again.

His trimmed wings are so much stronger now with all the wing physio he’s... See more