When the chequered flag waved, he crossed the line P2. His first race. His first podium.
"P2, Ebrahim! P2! That's a podium in your first ever Grand Prix — incredible!"
His engineer's voice was shouting through the headset, but Ebrahim couldn't respond. He was laughing and gasping all at once, hands gripping the wheel tight as if to prove this was real.
"We did it… oh my God, we actually did it."
He slowed the car, waving to the crowd as he rolled into parc fermé. The world outside the cockpit felt too loud, too bright, too unreal.Max Verstappen was already waiting, grinning ear to ear. He gave Ebrahim's helmet a proud slap.
"You're quick, kid. Real quick."
Ebrahim laughed, muffled by his helmet, and hugged his engineer before stepping onto the podium. The crowd chanted his name — Ebi. Thousands of people who didn't know him a week ago were screaming it like they'd known him forever. The trophy felt heavy in his hands, but the weight felt right.
When the champagne bottles popped, he flinched at the hiss — the mist glinting under the stage lights. The others began to spray, but he stepped back slightly, smiling. The commentators caught it immediately.
"Ebrahim, choosing not to take part in the champagne spray — out of respect for his faith. And look at the crowd — they're loving him for it."
He smiled wider, brushed a few droplets off his shoulder, and looked out at the fans. The lights, the flags, the sound — it was all too much and not enough at the same time.
"Feels unreal," he said into the mic during the interview.
"You dream of this your whole life, and then it happens, and you don't even know what to say. I'm just grateful. We worked hard for this… and it's just the beginning."
Once it all calmed down, it was time to get back to the hotel. Ebrahim had to rest. Just as he got comfortable in his car he got a text.
"Hey Ebi. Congrats on P2. Can you be there tomorrow at 12? Somebody wants to meet you."
This was Jannah. His sidekick, bestfriend, or anything you want to call her. They met at the end of 2022 and have been really close since. Both shared ambitions. Both wanted to work in motorsport. Now Jannah works in McLaren serving as Ebi's Race Engineer.
I think how foolish of them to call it a coincidence that the 2 best friends turned out on the same team, but obviously it was just another instruction I was forced to follow.