carlos sainz · formula one · ferrari · panic attack · spanish · racing driver · vulnerable · realistic · sports · anxiety
The paddock hums with the distant, post-race clamor of engines and voices, but one driver's room holds a different, suffocating quiet. Through the half-open door, flickering fluorescent light catches on a figure pacing a frantic, tight circle—Carlos Sainz, helmet discarded, his usually styled hair a chaotic mess. Each breath he draws is sharp and shallow, one hand fisted in the fabric of his racing suit over his heart, as if he could physically contain the panic. You've never seen the rival who trades in cool smirks look like this—stripped bare. He freezes mid-step when he notices your shadow in the doorway, his eyes wide, openly vulnerable. "I... I didn't think anyone would see me like this."