MOTOMAMI | valeria's friends
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author's note: this was the bane of my existence (hence why it took so long to post). summing up is not necessarily my strength.
― THE LA FRIEND GROUP
name: benito velasquez
date of birth: june 26th, 1998
place of birth: east la, california
occupation: pr manager
friends since: childhood
Benito didn’t know who I was for the first few years of his childhood. Granted, I didn’t know about him either. It’s funny, really, how we grew up around the same neighbourhood surrounded by the same people and yet neither of us was aware of the other despite our similar age. He’d often hang out at Tía María’s place, more so than he did at his own home, right across the street where I lived. Tía María was a widowed woman who suffered the loss of her husband just recently at that time. She was happy to spoil the children around the neighbourhood since she couldn’t get any of her own. She was everyone’s aunty, parents oftentimes sending their children over to hers whenever it suited them. That’s how I met Benny before I started karting. My dad was occupied in his mechanics shop a lot, hence why I spent most of my time after school hanging out at Tía María’s place as well.
He was a genius when it came to everything social media. I never understood why he was so obsessed with Keeping up with the Kardashians, Britney Spears’ mental breakdown in 2007 and the downfall of Lindsay Lohan. I figured it was his thing just like my thing was racing. However, it wasn’t just a phase for him like many had said. He easily saw through various PR moves and could detect what’s true and what’s fake to deceive the public eye. Sometimes he’d tell me how he’d handle the different scandals if he was their PR manager. I admired him for his vast knowledge.
When I got discovered by Toto Wolff and sent off to further prove myself on the European Circuit, Benny was right behind me to discuss my media presence. It was funny at the beginning how easy it came to him to manage my social media accounts with me together, forming an image of me we both agreed on. I wanted to be as transparent as I was allowed to and he made sure to do exactly that. It didn’t take long for him to become my official PR manager.
name: tyler gregory okonma
date of birth: march 6th, 1991
place of birth: hawthorne, california
occupation: musician
friends since: 2014/2015
Tyler was one of the funniest aspects of my teenagehood. It was during the Vine phase in 2014 when he’d often hang around my neighbourhood, collecting footage for his growing fanbase. I don’t remember exactly how we got to meet, it was more one of those friendships that developed over time by seeing each other often on the streets. He was one of the biggest jokers I had ever met, always making Benny and me laugh about the stupidest stuff. Tyler quickly became like a brother to me, one I had never had since I was an only child. Thankfully, my dad loved Tyler’s annoying ass as well. He’d always joke how Tyler was a lot to handle, but deep down you knew he was fond of the boy because he’d still custom design different parts for Tyler’s car collection.
Tyler would often drive me to my karting tournaments whenever dad didn’t have the time. He was one of my biggest supporters, yelling so loud from the sidelines I could hear his screams over the motor sounds and right through my thick helmet. Since I didn’t have a mom, Tyler acted like a mom on the track. Tyler can be saying the most out of pocket shit to embarrass me when I'm on the podium saying ‘SMILE FOR THE CAMERA HONEY’ but I appreciated him taking his time to come see me despite him gradually gaining more and more fame through his music.
Tyler would still visit me often in Europe when I started to drive in Formula. I didn’t really fit into the crowd in Europe, so whenever he went overseas he’d make sure to stop by in Brackley. And let me tell you, when Toto first met Tyler he knew he would have this recurring headache for as long as I’m in Mercedes.
name: kali uchis
date of birth: july 17, 1994
place of birth: alexandria, virginia
occupation: musician
friends since: 2018
Kali was the first female friend I had ever had.
Of course I knew about her music before I met her in person. When I joined Tyler in the studio (he had to pick me up from the karting track beforehand), Kali and I instantly clicked. She was the sweetest soul I had ever met, immediately inviting me to join her in the booth, goofing around with Tyler, who loved to act all sassy with us girls. I wasn’t really musically talented, but it was exciting nevertheless to see the process and thoughts behind creating music.
She became somewhat like an older sister, one I could tell all my girl problems and share girly interests with. Call us chismosas if you want, but when things had gone down in our social circles it was like someone had died, it had to be spilled.
Kali was a graceful woman, one I looked up to a lot. She was confident, always dressed in designer clothes from head to toe and walked with such elegance. She was one of those people that immediately got everyone’s attention when entering a room.
Our bond went beyond friendship; it was a sisterhood, a connection that felt like fate had brought us together. Kali Uchis, my partner in crime and fashion, my confidante, and the ultimate queen of slay.
― THE UK FRIEND GROUP
name: andres felipé barrientos / yung filly
date of birth: august 6, 1995
place of birth: cali, colombia
occupation: youtuber
friends since: 2022
I remember the exact moment where I met Filly for the first time. It was in Abu Dhabi 2022, the last race of my final season in Formula 2. I was close to winning the Formula 2 championship, only one more race to go to secure the title. I had distanced myself from my team to collect my thoughts beforehand, trying to get into the zone, when suddenly a voice came up behind me.
I didn’t know who he was at that moment, I just remembered him sitting down next to me. ¿Oye hablas español? He randomly asked me. That is such a weird question to ask a stranger. I laughed out loud. Not going to lie, Filly can spot a latino from a mile away, which explains why he just sat right next to me like he just spawned into a game while I was having a midlife crisis . Apparently, Filly also didn’t know who I was when first meeting me. But he did a really good job to calm my nerves when noticing how nervous I was, giving me a pep talk after realising I was a driver and what situation I found myself in. To this day I like to joke around that without his pep talk I would’ve only driven half as good.
At the afterparty, I went to search for him in order to thank him for his encouraging words. We clicked instantly when celebrating my win and exchanged numbers to keep in touch furthermore. He’s probably my best friend in England.
name: nella rose
date of birth: july 20, 1997
place of birth: belgium
occupation: youtuber
friends since: 2022
It was at a video shoot when Filly introduced me to Miss Nella Rose. Filly had this knack for bringing people together. Now, Nella, is a genuine human in a world of filters and facades, someone you could be completely real with. In a place where everyone's putting on a show, Nella stood out.
I am lucky to have crossed paths with someone so real, someone who made the crazy F1 world feel a little less daunting. She had this magnetic vibe, you know? Not the flashy, showy kind, but the kind that makes you feel like you're talking to an old friend. We clicked instantly, not in a romantic way, but in a 'I’ve-found-my-ride-or-die-friend' way.
It wasn't about the glitz and glam of the F1 world or the YouTube fame – it was about two souls connecting, sharing stories, and laughing like there was no tomorrow.
name: amin mohamed / chunkz
date of birth: february, 21 1996
place of birth: london, uk
occupation: youtuber
friends since: 2022
I met Chunkz the same day I met Nella, courtesy of Filly. He was, like the rest of them, so welcoming and incredibly funny. In a world where everyone's trying to one-up each other, his authenticity was a breath of fresh air.
We hit it off immediately, like, we both have this weird obsession with 90s sitcoms level of connection (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air I might add). His laugh, oh my days, it's contagious. We bonded over memes, terrible dance moves, and, of course, our shared love for fast cars. He was more like a 'this dude is my spirit animal' vibe.
So, yeah, meeting Chunkz that day was like gaining a new teammate, someone who made the F1 circuit feel like a family. In the whirlwind of F1 circuits and YouTube fame, he was that unexpected dose of hilarity that made the day memorable. Chunkz, Nella Rose, and me, all meeting on the same day? That's the kind of plot twist you'd expect in a Netflix teen drama, but hey, it happened.
Life is weird, and sometimes, it's the unexpected friendships that make it hilariously awesome.
name: rúben dos santos gato alves dias
date of birth: may 14, 1997
place of birth: amadora, portugal
occupation: football player
friends since: 2022
The first time I met Rúben, I punched him in the face. Alright, it wasn’t intentional and just a stupid mistake of mine, but thinking about it back now, it’s a pretty funny way to start a friendship.
It was after the Monaco Grand Prix in 2022, so the festivities were quite big and extravagant. However, I was just exhausted up and foremost. Monaco is a great track, but your concentration needs to be at 150% all the time if you want to make it to the end.
So, naturally, I fell asleep on a chair in a more quiet area of the venue where the afterparty took place. Rúben passed me by, noticed me and became concerned for me. He didn’t know whether I passed out from drinking or not, shaking me to see if I was fine. Are you alright? Should I call someone? Should I drive you home? Startled by this unknown stranger waking me up, I punched him in the face when I came to my senses all disoriented. I felt really bad, and so did he. I think we apologised to each other about a dozen times, going back and forth.
As an apology, I invited him for lunch the next time I was in England. We talked a lot about similar interests, about both of our busy schedules and the fast life of being an athlete. He said he’d invite me to one of his games since he saw me racing but I’ve never seen him play. To be honest, football wasn’t something I was very familiar with, so Rúben was keen on explaining the sport to me.
I knew I had found a new friend in him when I laughed so much with him I nearly lost consciousness from the lack of breathing.
― THE FORMULA FRIEND GROUP
name: lewis hamilton
date of birth: january 7, 1957
place of birth: stevenage, uk
occupation: formula one driver
friends since: 2020
When Toto came up to me and made me join the Mercedes Junior Team, my hopes of seeing Lewis Hamilton rose drastically. He was, and is, one of the biggest names in Motorsport and an idol to many younglings in the sport, me included.
I didn’t meet him the first year of staying at Brackley. I was still getting used to adjusting to England, its culture and operating the simulator. Our first unofficial meeting happened in the simulator. I was driving, humming All Eyes On Me by 2Pac when someone behind me said ‘You could’ve taken that turn a little sharper on the apex.’ I didn’t know it was him at the time, too startled by the sudden comment to realise who it came from. His presence made me crash into the barriers.
So when I actually saw him visit the facility in Brackley for the first time, I nearly suffered a heart attack. Toto introduced us, laughing at me when I started to stutter in front of Lewis. I remember my cheeks burning out of embarrassment and hands shaking out of nervosity. I was that nervous I had started speaking in an English accent, that’s when I had to shut up. I think my brain actually stopped working for a second when Lewis said he’d know of me and seen some of my races.
When he became my teammate in the 2023 season, I was beyond the moon excited to work with such an icon. The things I’ve learned and am still learning from him made me grow incredibly as a driver. He’s like a mentor to me, continuing to teach me new things with such enthusiasm, he really keeps me motivated and focused.
name: logan sargeant
date of birth: december 31, 2000
place of birth: fort lauderdale, florida
occupation: formula one driver
friends since: 2019
Oh, Logan Sargeant, where do I even begin with this guy? We go way back, back to the Formula 3 days when we were tearing up the tracks alongside Felipe Drugovich. Logan and I clicked faster than Wi-Fi in a room full of tech geeks. We're both from the States, different coasts but same vibe, you know? We practically dragged Felipe into our adventures everywhere we went.
Even though our ways as teammates parted after one season, we stayed tight. We spent a lot of time together outside of the paddock. Whether it was eating out or visiting the other over summer and winter break in the US: Burgers, beach trips, and a lot of dad jokes (thanks to my old man’s enthusiasm for Logan) – our friendship just kept growing. And guess what? Destiny had more mischief in store for us. From late-night strategy talks to spontaneously exploring new cities, we’ve turned every race weekend into an adventure. My father grew quite fond of Logan, Logan’s enthusiasm for the US matching my dad’s enthusiasm for Mexico.
Fast forward to Formula 1, and bam, we're rookie teammates again, this time with Oscar Piastri thrown into the chaos, he had no other choice but to tag along with us. Forming the ‘2023 Rookies’ group, we were hellbend to become even more iconic than the 2019 rookies. It's like we're on a mission to turn the F1 grid into our playground and so far, dare I say we’re doing a good job at it? Fuck yeah. We’re hell-bent on making our mark, not just on the tracks but in the F1 history books.
name: oscar piastri
date of birth: april 21, 2001
place of birth: melbourne, australia
occupation: formula one driver
friends since: 2020
Ah, Oscar Piastri, my first F2 teammate in 2021. We'd already crossed paths in Formula 3, but back then, he was about as outgoing as a hermit crab. Fast forward a year, and fate decided we should be on the same team. I mean, talk about a plot twist, right? So, here's this dude, quiet as a library on a Sunday morning, and suddenly, we're sharing the same garage.
The first time we actually talked to each other was after our first race of the season. We sat in two ice baths next to each other when he made the first move and quietly tried to start a conversation. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn’t even realise he was talking to me. It took him a second try to catch my attention, and then it was like he had opened Pandora's box: I would not shut up for one second after we really got into conversation. I was telling him all the gossip from back home, all the shit that annoyed me, literally everything because he was willing to listen to me rant away.
Oscar Piastri, the man of few words but here for the vibes, became more than a teammate – he became that friend who’d silently judge my questionable music choices and then secretly listen to the same music when he thought no one was watching. It's funny how the quiet ones always surprise you the most, right. That became our dynamic: Me talking his ear off and him listening like his life depended on it. Sometimes I would feel bad for saying so much, but Oscar seemed to be actually interested in hearing about my issues and thoughts.
When entering Formula 1 together with Logan, we obviously stuck together a lot as the new rookies. We became the 2023 rookies, the gen Z version of the 2019 rookies. Logan and I were the loud ones, the ones adopting our introverted friend and dragging him with us everywhere. So here's to Oscar, the Aussie from down under for making racing not just about speed, but also about laughter and unexpected friendship.
name: andrea kimi antonelli
date of birth: august 25, 2006
place of birth: bologna, italy
occupation: motor racing driver
friends since: 2019
Becoming part of the Mercedes Junior Team in 2018 and moving from East LA to Brackley, I knew what it felt like to leave your life behind and start anew in a different country. When I first noticed Kimi appearing at the facilities a year later, I immediately felt my heart ache for him. He was new, still somewhat shy and kept to himself a lot. Remembering the same situation I found myself in a year prior, I made it my mission to help him get accustomed to his new surroundings. So I found the only solution possible, I adopted him as my Formula son.
We grew close relatively fast, him loving to annoy the shit out of me and use me as an ATM machine whenever we went out together. I loved spoiling him from time to time, treating him like the little hermano he is to me.
And like the big sister I am, obviously I visited him at his races as much as I could. Vice versa, he’d come to a few of mine as well. I always invited him as my guest, but little Kimi was too shy to meet the senior team and the older grid. I would literally have to drag him to socialise a bit more, reassuring him that none of them would bite him. He’s literally part of the team as well, so why was he acting all shy.
2022 was a big year for both of us, one I like to think back to. With me racing my way up the F2 drivers standings, Kimi was doing the same in F4. Both of us ended up winning the championships simultaneously, I had never been more proud of my little padawan.
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Tyler, the Creator’s evolution
Tyler Gregory Okonma is a 32-year-old rapper, composer, and producer, nowadays is one of the most acclaimed musicians in the world, winning a Grammy with his latest album “Call me if you get lost”, but this hasn’t always been the case.
Ten years ago, Tyler was known for being the leader of music collective Odd Future, a group of friends who were rappers, producers, designers, and skaters, they even got their own series on Comedy Central, Loiter Squad, where they made skit comedy inspired by shows like Jackass.
Back then they were mainly known by mainstream audiences for being edgy teenagers who had violent lyrics and even satanist references in their merchandise, which resulted in them being banned from the United Kingdom, ban that wasn’t lifted until 2019, but I’ll get to that later.
Around 2015-2016, Tyler had just dropped his third studio album, Cherry Bomb, in which he explored different ways to express himself through his rap, the rock inspired intro track “DEATHCAMP” really contrasted with the softness of “FIND YOUR WINGS”, the grimy tones of “BUFFALO” clashed with the love themes of “OKAGA, CA” or “PERFECT” that he and his features showed. This, added to some other “softer” songs on his previous album, WOLF, in which he got through issues like his father’s absence or his grandmother’s death, showed people he was more than an edgy artist, and had some things to say for purposes other than shock value.
But for some people that wasn’t the case, during the summer of 2016, Tyler was touring with his latest album, but his fame wasn’t really coming from his music, it was more related to social media and his natural comedic ability, with the peak of 6-second video platform Vine, in which his random antics mixed with these short videos, resulting on an unexpected surge of popularity. This didn’t make Tyler happy, suddenly he wasn’t an actual artist and just a funny guy online for lots of people, so he decided to speak with his idol and mentor, Pharrell Williams, famous producer and musician, there, Williams said to him:
“Make something undeniable and make it equally as infectious. Why are you doing music? Is it because you just want to look cool? Because that will burn out. When it becomes purpose-oriented, it can be as cool as The Flash and s**t, but it will be much more meaningful.”
Ever since then he stopped acting “silly”, he focused on just the music and sending a message, then, Flower Boy came.
His 2017 fourth studio album, Flower Boy, discusses his issues with politics, his sexuality and growing up, maturing or “blooming”, while keeping some of his harder aspects, with songs like “I Ain’t Got Time!” or “Who Dat Boy”. Critics finally praised him, his fourth single, “See You Again” featuring Kali Uchis hit mainstream radio stations, getting him to listen to one of his songs in his car for the first time.
He had finally realized the key to success as an artist, his brand was appealing to the public, even considering his tumultuous past, he became a relatable figure to teenagers struggling with his same issues, but he wanted more.
Two years after Flower Boy, continuing with his tradition to drop albums on odd years in homage to Odd Future, Tyler, the Creator released IGOR. In this album, he introduces to us an alter ego with this same name, who has a secret relationship with a man that at the same time has a girlfriend, and the effect that this has on his feelings. This project was received as one of the best albums of 2019, giving him his first Grammy as “Best Rap Album.” This cemented Tyler as one of the industries’ biggest names, with one decade of career already and five studio albums.
Since then, he released another project, CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, that gave him another Grammy for being the best rap album of 2021, a 2022 tour that resulted on over 32 million dollars of revenue, a million each show.
He's gotten really successful, and as we wait for his next album (it's an odd year), we can look back and see the long way that Tyler walked to get to where he is now, that is a huge example for up-and-coming artists, to not just try to “be cool” and try to promote a message that holds something more valuable.
Álvaro Avello.
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Take me back to November
Recently, as the year closes its end, Spotify released their most awaited once a year project called "Spotify Wrapped" wherein every user and listener are given recaps of their most listened artists, songs, and genres.
With me being a huge fan of music, I have always expressed my love for Spotify so you can only imagine my excitement in remembering my life throughout 2022. This retrograde revealed my most played song which is “November” by my favorite artist Tyler, the Creator.
I. The album that introduced me to Tyler, the Creator
In 2017, Tyler Gregory Okonma, known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, released his fourth album entitled “Flower Boy” containing 14 tracks.
Fans were in for a treat in this album, as it surprises the listeners expecting another aggressive, confrontational, and assertive Tyler project. Contrary to these assumptions, Flower Boy is a beautifully colored and meditative cut, scattered with a collage of memories and daydreams. Bombarded with musically-inclined harmonies and deeply personal lyrics, this project serves to be Tyler’s course-correction that focuses on reflection and self-improvement.
As Tyler produces and masters his own music, he perfectly controlled the emotion and atmosphere that explored loneliness, isolation, and disorientation. With the tracks balancing the pull of nostalgia and the necessity for growth, track 12 “November” comes into play.
II. Month 11 of a year – Track 12 of Flower Boy
In this extremely personal song by Tyler, he longs for the month November.
Depicting it as a better time in his life, Tyler reminisces about the past in a nostalgic fashion. He continues to delve deeper into his insecurities and paranoia, worried about his talent to stay as a top-tier artist, and his ability to maintain friendships given his sexuality.
With negative thoughts creeping up his mind, Tyler escapes reality through his memories of the best time of his life, his teenage days hanging out with his friends at skateparks. As an interlude, we hear scattered and dreamy vocals of various artists saying their personal “November.”
With the track reaching its denouement, Tyler’s desire to time travel back to experience again his joyous and carefree past was signified by the lyrics:
III. Reflection
Backtrack to why this was my most listened song of the year. I don’t really know why. My prior experiences and years in the month of November was nothing special. November is a great track that tackles relevant issues but it is not by any means my favorite. In my opinion, Tyler has made several tracks that surpass this in terms of musicality, lyrics, and feeling.
However, as this month concluded, I realized the impact of a nostalgic November. Similar to Tyler, my previous years were spent isolated, with a mind crippled with anxiety and insecurities. The pandemic served as a fertilizer to a plant called “paranoia,” continuously feeding the mind negative thoughts which lead to a different me.
With time passing by, the new normal comes into effect reintroducing face-to-face classes which greatly affected me. Comes with the third month of blended learning, the things that I missed during the pandemic are steadily coming back.
With the bond growing stronger between my classmates and I, my friendship with childhood acquaintances, and the revival of my old joyful self, this month was surely one for the books. Full of uncountable beautiful moments that solidified my relationship with people after a 3-year imprisonment in my household.
I really cannot express my love for the family that surrounds me through words, but this song perfectly captures my emotion and feelings at this very moment.
Thank you Tyler, for in a year full of challenges and difficulties, you made me realize my home and my escape. I miss it already, take me back to November.
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