#this is like the second time I’ve ever seen them photographed together ever in F1

[landinrris]

I agree with you so much about your take on Lando and Martins relationship. It’s like I have so many thoughts a feelings but want to respect their right to privacy.

Want to add just a couple thoughts to your more fictional take. For me, it’s also how everyone around them acts.

Oscar being inclusive in his language talking about the drivers “girlfriends or partners or whatever” (which love you Oscar for that!).

McLaren not posting any videos of Lando and Martin together post Mexico when they do post videos of Landos other famous friends like Zedd. Plus McLaren way cutting back in the behind the scenes videos.

The Thursday drivers interviews have never asked him about hanging out with Martin in the off-time when they ask drivers all the time about stuff they do off track, even asking Fernando about the whole Shakira meme, unless it’s truly private and off limits (only reporter I’ve ever seen ask Lando about Martin was Ziggo and Landos body language was so uncomfortable and self soothing talking about it. Man could not stop stroking his face!)

No official track photographers post pictures of Martin unless he’s there to work and never with Lando or in McLaren, only ever at Redbull (and like the photographer Kym Illman leaving Martin out of his post about Lando being in Australia was odd in that he knows Martin and talks with him and would have known he was in Aus too). Kym (who gives me a bit of an ick, but he says interesting things sometimes) talked once that they have requests from teams not to photograph certain people, and it kinda feels like there’s a request to not photograph Martin and Lando. Even the now famous hug in Vegas. As soon as they went in for the hug the camera like oh crap panned away.

Everyone seems to be so careful to respect what I’m guessing is a request from the team to respect their privacy. And whether that’s because they are in a relationship, well I don’t know. I think if he is, it’s probably a relationship that is out and open and known about in the paddock, but not in public. And if that’s the case, totally their right. If a gay relationship with an F1 driver was made public especially one with another arguably more famous person the scrutiny around it would be so intense, I could totally understand why someone would want that relationship to be out privately but not publicly.

You're so right about all of this, it's very telling how people around them act. Although I do wonder about the Ziggo interview from Zandvoort. Idk, it didn't look like any more fidgeting or touching his face than normal to me, but I see where you're going. What I got out of that clip from that interview was more so what he had to say about his friendship and how much he values it. And when he was finished addressing it, they very pointedly moved on to other things like Max and hypothetically being Max's teammate.

This is also like the second time in as many days that I've heard that Kym asks for permission to post pics. Maybe I forgot where that was said at one point, but that in and of itself says a lot about what he posts in general. But also, did we know Martin was in Australia for sure when Kym posted that random thing about Lando being in Perth that was likely only because of Lando's story?

Who knows. The fact of the matter is that it certainly appears they've set boundaries with people which is both very helpful and makes me very 👀 at the same time.

[alltoolewis]

30 with lando pls

"Ride me."- Lando Norris.

Summary- you and lando celebrate his highest placing poduim after you comfort his nerves before the Italian grand prix....

Words- 1808...

(Warnings- Alot of fluff & smut! 18+! You've been warned!)

------------------------------------

You couldn't believe how quickly it all flew by. It felt like just yesterday when you met him... you the new photographer for McLaren, who didn't have a clue about F1, moving away from everything you knew to travel round the world taking pictures of cars worth more than your credit card & him, the new rookie, who had so much confidence on the track but who had near to none when it came to speaking to women... until you came along & And now here you were... 3 years later, moved in together, traveling the world doing the thing both of you loved & what a better way than doing that together.

----

Your hands trembled just looking at him pacing the room,you could tell he was nervous.. I mean who wouldn't be, starting P3 in one of the most anticipated races of the calendar....

"Baby your making me dizzy" you giggled,slowly making your way over to him as he reaches for your clammy hand.

"Im sorry" he sighed, leaning into your touch as you pulled him closer "just nervous... I mean with all the pressure of me and danny starting up the grid & McLaren not having the season they hoped for, its just getting to me.. and you-" stopping himself, he looked deep into your eyes and for the first time you could see the panic and fear glossing his eyes like smoke...

"Im what baby?" You whispered, gently tracing your fingers though his newly combed locks, an action that you knew relaxed him...

"Your here..."

Confusion washed over you gently let go of him, taking a step back to watch his new fear wash over him..

"I can stay back here lando... if I'm the one making you nervous... I'm sure they wont mind me sitting out on this one, they have so many talented photographers, they won't miss m-"

Put of nowhere lando pulled you closer, locking your lips with his, taking all the unnecessary words out of your mouth.

"I'll miss you" lando mumbled against your lips, before pulling away pushing your forehead against yours...

"Your not the issue baby.. its just I know how dangerous this track is & I just don't want you to see anything that you shouldn't.... I couldn't cope with mysel-"

This time is was you to interrupt him, lifting up his chin to meet your.

"Lando I know the drill.... its not my first rodeo baby, every race is a dangerous one... I knew what I signed up for the minute I started falling in love with you & guess what... I dont regret one bit & you know why...?"

"Why?" He whispered, voice full of uncertainty.

"Because you.." you sighed, locking your lips with him again "are the best driver on that grid and you I've never been more proud of anything or anyone in my life.... your gonna be okay... and im gonna be right there for here for you, together forever eh?" You say, smirking as you see his face light up at your words, reaching out for your outstretched hand, locking your fingers as he repeated your words..

"Together forever"...

--------------

"How many more laps left??" You sighed, hands beginning to tremble as you looked at the monitor, lando dropping down to 6th after his pit.

"26" zac sighed as he sat next you, placing a hand on your knee "hes doing well you know.... he a supers-"

However zak never got to finish his praise as gasps fill the garage, looking up to see Max's car ontop of Lewis's. Heart skipping a beat as you realised just how close it was to being lando...

"I have to go- I... what if it was him.. he was so close to them he was only a second away... what if" you whispered all the possible scenerios as tear filled your eyes, causing zac to pull you closer...

"Listen... you can't live your life with what ifs (y/n).. it could of been him but guess what it wasn't andd look where he is know!" He smiles looking up at the monitor just as lando overtakes Charles, reaching p2.

"I mean you could leave... but Together forever I heard?" Zac smirks as he places a headset on your knee as he gets up to get back to his place... "just in case you want to pop in and check up on him... you stresshead"

As the lap count increased, so did your heart rate, as you seen lando still at p2 with 1 lap to go and a 2 second gap between him and perez. Hands hesitating to pick up the headset that remained on your knee like a safety blanket. Only picking it up as the mclaren garage erupts in applause, not only has lando picked up his highest ever poduim but Daniel won!

'Lets fucking go lads' lando screeches as you place the headset on, zac giving you a little nod, letting you know you can talk to him.

"Baby" you whisper through the mic, voice trembling with pride and emotion.

"(Y/n)!!! We did it! We fucking did it!!" Lando screams as he makes his way to the last corner..

"We lando?!? I didn't do anything but hid behind zac the whole time" causing lando to chuckle before the set goes dead and the garage yet again erupts... letting you know the mclarens have parked up.

Lando was the first one out, immediately running over to zac and the rest of the team, and although you could tell he was ecstatic, apart of you knew that he was gonna be disappointed about not getting p1... but he's a team player & at the end of the day thats all that matters.

After the hugs from the team, it was your turn to be pulled into your sweaty boyfriends arms, in the biggest bear hug you've ever been given.

"I'm sooo proud of you baby" you whisper, running your hand through is wet locks. Tears welling your eyes for what felt like the 50th time today.

"I love you so much" he screamed, picking your feet of the ground as he twirled you around, so fast you would of sworn he would of got the fastest lap!

"And by the way" he smirks, locking your lips with his "theres no me without you...."

However your sweet moment was inturpted as you get rudely pulled away from eachother by a certain ecstatic Australian....

"Alright love birds, plenty of that later" grabbing lando by the shoulders, pushing him towards the poduims "continue that later please, me and loverboy here have a shoey to do"

Your heart melts as you hear landos laugh, even from 10 meters away, but nothing made your race more than seeing him mouth the words anyone would dream about hearing.....

"Cant wait too rip them clothes off".....

And by lord did he keep his promise, not even being able to close the door before your 'mclaren 4' tshirt was pulled from your body.

"Ive been dying to do this from the moment I crossed that line" lando groaned as he pushed against the wall, using all his last energy, locking his lips with yours. Tounges fighting for dominance as he unhooks your bra, throwing it carelessly across the room.

Before you knew it you thrown on the bed, just as carelessly as your long forgotten bra.

"How the fuck did I get this lucky" lando moaned as he hovers over your already shaken body, eyes gazing over your bare body, filling with not only with lust but love....

Sitting up you, you lock your lips again....

"I should be saying that too you.." you mumble against his mouth, flipping your body ontop of his as your hands trace down his bare chest.

"Ahh taking in charge I see" he smirks, throwing his arms at the back of his head, as your unbutton his belt, seeing his hard cock push against the poorly made cotton.

"Only the best for my champion" you whisper, pulling down the last layer before getting to work. Lips locking over the tip, as you look straight in his eyes, making sure he can see the collection of pre-come of your tounge as it traces on his tip.

"Fuck doll..." lando wheezed as your hand goes up and down his shaft, his hands pulling your hair back as you take him deeper down your throat. His groans filling the room as your eyes welled up for a different reason this time as you feel his tip against the back of your throat, however you didnt have time to enjoy your meal for any longer as he pulls you away. Leaning down, he latches your lips to his, moaning as he tastes himself on your tounge.

"Dont want to finish in your mouth"

Laying back down, throwing one of your legs over his waist causing you to straddle him....

"Ride me." He demands, and like the good girl you were you took no time to fulfill his needs. Pulling out a condom from under the pillow he wa layed on..

"Dont judge me.. i knew this was gonna happen"

Lando chuckled as you slipped the condom on him, positioning yourself before sinking on him, Causing both of your breaths to hitch...

"Fuck (y/n)... how the fuck are you still this tight after 3 years of fucking you" lando moaned as your hips start to rock against his waist, finding your familiar rhythm as his hands find your waist. The sound of skin slapping could only be heard, as you allowed him to fill you up.

"Fuck lando" you yell throwing your hand back as he places his hand on your clit, matching the rhythm of your hips "dont stop" you scream as he picks up the pace.

Using his free hand to continue guiding your hips on his cock, pushing his hips up to meet yours.

Moans filled the air, both of you knowing full well that the rest of the mclaren could hear your 'private celebration' however neither you seemed to care as your screams filled up the room.

"Im so close" you sigh as lando continues to meet your hips half way, leaning down to meet his lips.

"Me too baby... fuck me too"

Without out any more warnings, lando let go, feeling his seed fill up the condom that was still thrusting inside you.

"Come on baby let go" lando yelled, hand moving faster against your clit as he, attaches onto your sensitive tits. Something that he knew could bring you to cum hust on its own...

"Fuck!!!" You scream as the pleasure washes over you, collapsing on his chest as you both tried to catch your breath.

"I love you so much" he whispered as he pulled your swollen lips into one last kiss..

"I love you too lando" you whispered back, leaning back into his chest as he begins to comb his fingers through your hair, a action that after 3 years of love he knew would instantly put you to sleep... and like everything that boy does, he never fails...

[youwerenevermeanttofeelalone]

Belated Celebration

I reached the astounding milestone of 1.1k followers back in October which also marked a year from when I started this blog and put a celebration to the side in order to do kinktober because I had plans to do this in November. Health issues got in the way so this will be a belated celebration.

Again, thank you so, sooooo much for putting up with me. The fact that you lovely people want to read what I have to offer and are willing to share pieces of yourselves with me through your requests and comments means a lot to me.

I’ll accept as many entries as I get from today (December 6th) until December 13th at 11:59 pm CST. All of them will be filled throughout January and —if necessary— February.

FAQ | fandom/character list

Rules:

Send me one or two AUs/situations, up to five prompts, and a character (you can send more than one character if you want me to write a poly relationship or a threesome/orgy and in that case, you can send up to eight prompts.)

If you’re not interested in any of the AUs or situations, you can tell me to pick those myself or send me a song and I’ll write a fic based on that song with the prompts you’ve chosen.

Please specify gender. If you don’t, I’ll write the fic with a gender-neutral reader by default.

When it comes to smut, I always write the reader as a person with a vagina. If you want me to write the reader as an intersex person or a person with a penis, please specify.

You can send in as many requests as you want, but please do it in separate asks.

prompts and AUs/situations under the cut

AUs & situations

AUS

✳︎ soulmate AU ✳︎ roommate AU ✳︎ neighbor AU ✳︎ modern AU ✳︎ fake dating AU ✳︎ college AU ✳︎ baker AU ✳︎ artist AU ✳︎ fairy tale AU (specify which one) ✳︎ library AU ✳︎ bookshop AU ✳︎ CEO AU ✳︎ Hogwarts AU ✳︎ arranged marriage AU ✳︎ royal AU ✳︎ bodyguard AU ✳︎ teacher AU ✳︎ bartender AU ✳︎ rich person AU ✳︎ actor AU ✳︎ model AU ✳︎ photographer AU ✳︎ movie AU (specify which movie) ✳︎ omegaverse ✳︎ canon universe

Situations

✳︎ there’s only one bed ✳︎ dating app ✳︎ secret admirer ✳︎ at a wedding ✳︎ accidental marriage ✳︎ wedding date hire ✳︎ locked in a room/closet together ✳︎ love triangle ✳︎ game night (truth or dare, love dice, never have I ever, etc.) ✳︎ secret relationship ✳︎ oblivious sexual tension ✳︎ break up/makeup ✳︎ age gap ✳︎ frenemies with benefits ✳︎ friends with benefits ✳︎ frenemies to lovers ✳︎ friends to lovers ✳︎ childhood friends to lovers ✳︎ enemies to lovers ✳︎ friends to enemies to lovers ✳︎ enemies to friends to lovers ✳︎ finally home after a hard day ✳︎ stuck in a place together for a long period of time ✳︎ seeing each other for the first time in a while ✳︎ meeting for the first time

Prompts

Angst & hurt/comfort

A1 - “My heart hurts when I look at you.”

A2 - “Don’t blame it on the alcohol, you tasted like you wanted me.”

A3 - “If anything ever happens to me, remember that I’ll always love you.”

A4 - “Darling, your heart is too pure for me.”

A5 - “Don’t pretend that you don’t feel the same way.”

A6 - “Don’t leave me like that again, you scared me.”

A7 - “I can’t be without you.”

A8 - “Don’t tell me you love me unless you mean it.”

A9 - “They told me that you’d break my heart, but, holy shit, they never said it would hurt like this.”

A10 - “We need to talk.”

A11 - “Surprise! I have feelings and you just hurt them.”

A12 - “The worst thing is, that even after all of that, I’m still in love with you.”

A13 - “You look beautiful in your wedding dress/attire, I’m happy for you.”

A14 - “Choose me or lose me. I’m not a backup plan, and I’m definitely not a second choice.”

A15 - “Did it ever occur to you that you’re hurting me too?”

A16 - “You’re right, I did love you, I just don’t know if I can say the same now.”

A17 - “I wasn’t the one who walked away from us. You were.”

A18 - “I fell for you without even knowing it and, Jesus, does it hurt that you can’t see it.”

A19 - “Please don’t love me the way you loved your exes.”

A20 - “I know you think we’re not right for each other, but we’ve run into each other too many times for you to tell me this isn’t fate.“

A21 - “There’s always a place in my bed for you, I will wait no matter what.”

A22 - “Do you even still love me?”

A23 - “I told you not to fall in love with me.”

A24 - “Don’t leave me.”

A25 - “I can’t pretend anymore.”

A26 - “Tell me I’m wrong.”

A27 - “Don’t you dare walk out that door.”

A28 - “There was never an ‘us’.”

A29 - “Do you really think I’m happy?”

A30 - “I don’t want your apology.”

A31 - “Stop pretending like everything is fine.”

A32 - “What the hell were you thinking?”

A33 - “I didn’t believe you cared.”

A34 - “You’re jealous.”

A35 - “You may be attractive, but I’m not sleeping with you.”

A36 - “The bed is cold without you.”

A37 - “When did you stop loving me?”

A38 - “How do I make you love me again?”

A39 - “Shouldn’t you be with him/her/them?”

A40 - “I wasn’t lying when I said I loved you.”

A41 - “They don’t deserve you.”

A42 - “I never meant to fall in love with you. I just did.”

A43 - “Please tell me this isn’t what it looks like.”

A44 - “Shit, is that blood?”

A45 - “I think we need a break.”

A46 - “Are you even listening?”

A47 - “Just leave me alone.”

A48 - “What’s wrong with me?”

A49 - “We don’t/wouldn’t work.”

A50 - “You had me! And you ruined it on your own.”

Fluff

F1 - “You look beautiful in anything.”

F2 - “I can’t believe I got the first date, let alone a year.”

F3 - “I have so much love for you. I actually never thought I could feel like this, but you proved me wrong.”

F4 - “I don’t care where I’m sleeping as long as it’s with you.”

F5 - “God, I’m never leaving your side again.”

F6 - “Every inch of you is breathtaking.”

F7 - “Why do you have to look at me like that? It’s making me weak, please stop.”

F8 - “Is this the moment that we kiss?”

F9 - “The more I look at you, the more I think we need to leave.”

F10 - “Look at me. I love you.”

F11 - “I—I think we should go for dinner first.”

F12 - “I love you more than coffee.” distant gasps

F13 - “I’m asking because I’ve seen the way you look at me.”

F14 - “I’m tired and my bed feels so empty without you here.”

F15 “Are you going to kiss me or will you just keep staring?”

F16 “I think you need to tell me the truth about how you feel towards me.”

F17 - “You keep saying we’re friends, but you look at me for a moment too long for that to be true.”

F18 - “Not only am I deeply in love with you, you’re my best friend.”

F19 - “I know you haven’t done anything, but can you please stop looking so goddamn kissable? My parents are here.”

F20 - “The things I would do just to see your face right now.”

F21 - “You’re the only person I’ve ever actually wanted to spend the rest of my life with.”

F22 - “Please come home, this doesn’t feel right.”

F23 - “You look like you could use a hug.”

F24 “Why do I feel like I’m home whenever you’re near me?”

F25 - “Oh my God... you’re in love with him/her/them!”

F26 - “Do you want to make out as badly as I want right now?”

F27 - “Are you flirting with me?” / “You finally noticed?”

F28 - “I just wanted to let you know that I think you’re beautiful.”

F29 - “I don’t think I’ve ever loved someone this much before.”

F30 - “Take my bed tonight, I’ll sleep on the couch.”

F31 - “I could kiss you right now!”

F32 - “You’re cute when you’re half asleep.”

F33 - “You should sleep in my bed more often.”

F34 - “Have you always been this beautiful?”

F35 - “Apparently all our friends have a bet going that we end up together.”

F36 - “I know I’ve kissed you like, ten times, but can I kiss you just like another ten, please?”

F37 - “Oh, wow, holy crap, wow... you’re so pretty.”

F38 - “Can you please... uh... I don’t know, put a shirt on?”

F39 - “I’m so madly and deeply in love with you, please meet me so we can discuss this.”

F40 - “I would’ve waited an eternity if I knew you were what I’d get at the end of it.”

F41 - “Thank you for loving me, I couldn’t have been luckier.”

F42 - “Every morning you kiss my forehead before I leave for work, why was it my lips today?”

F43 - “You keep that photo of us in your wallet?”

F44 - “I’ve fallen for you and it’s becoming difficult for me to get anything done.”

F45 - “All I can think of is your lips on mine.”

F46 - “I fought so hard to get you and thank God I can finally rest.”

F47 - “I never thought we’d end up together, but here you are confessing everything to me.”

F48 - “You were never the person I wanted, but you were the only one I ever needed.”

F49 - “That night you kissed me and I thought I might melt.”

F50 - “From the moment I saw you, I knew I was in love.”

Smut

S1 - “Do you like it when I touch you like that?”

S2 - “Want to head back to my place?”

S3 - “What a pretty sight.”

S4 - “You have no idea what you do to me.”

S5 - “I’ve wanted this for so long.”

S6 - “You look so good with my hand wrapped around your throat.”

S7 - “I don’t care how good it feels, you better not come until I tell you to.”

S8 - “Look, I’m not into choking but I wouldn’t mind if you grabbed me by the neck every once in a while.”

S9 - “You better be quiet or everyone’s going to know what a naughty little slut you are.”

S10 - “Maybe If I punish you it’ll help you remember who you belong to next time.”

S11 - “If you keep making those sounds I’m not going to be able to stop myself.”

S12 - “Such a needy little thing, aren’t you?”

S13 - “Pushing back against my fingers already? How pathetic.”

S14 - “When we get home I’m cuffing you to the bed and I’m going down on you all night until my jaw is sore.”

S15 - “Did you touch yourself while I was gone?”

S16 - “These walls are pretty thick, you can be as loud as you want.”

S17 - “Come sit on my face, let me show you how much I missed you.”

S18 - “I wonder what your girlfriend/boyfriend/partner would do if they knew what you’re doing right now.” (the story would contain cheating if you pick this one.)

S19 - “I bet all our neighbors can hear what a dirty little slut you are.”

S20 - “Come here, baby, let mommy/daddy take care of you.”

S21 - “Scream my name, I want everyone nearby to know who’s making you feel this good.”

S22 - “You look real pretty when you cry out.”

S23 - “Tell me what you like.”

S24 - “Shhh, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of you.”

S25 - “Think you can handle that much?”

S26 - “Call me selfish, but I don’t want anyone else to touch you.”

S27 - “I’m gonna fuck you so hard that you forget you ever even met that asshole.”

S28 - “Are you trying to turn me on right now or are you really just that oblivious?”

S29 - “Baby, I know you’re not trying out the new shower head without me.”

S30 - “I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you moan... it was like a fucking melody.”

S31 - “I know for a fact that you can be a hell of a lot louder than that.”

S32 - “God damnit, now all I can think about right now is you licking my cock like it’s that ice cream cone.”

S33 - “Just let me finish this level and I swear I’ll go down on you until you come at least three times.”

S34 - “You’re virgin? How?!”

S35 - “Are you going to eye fuck me all night or are you going to do something about it?”

S36 - “If you don’t stop looking at my lips without doing anything about it, I will take you right here on this counter.”

S37 - “Shall we— shall we go back t—to my place?

S38 - “You don’t know half the things you do to me.”

S39 - “I’m aggressively thinking about having sex with you and trying to keep a straight face at the same time. Do you know how hard that is?”

S40 - “You’ve been giving me bedroom eyes for the past half an hour — time to show me what, exactly, was on your mind.”

S41 - “Bite your lip one more time, I dare you.”

S42 - “God, I love your hands.” / “Let’s put them to good use, then.”

S43 - “I don’t care what you do as long as you also do me.”

S44 - “I’ve never wanted to fuck somebody so badly.

S45 - “Just shut up and fuck me.”

S46 - “I might have seen this very moment in a wet dream once.”

S47 - “I know we’re just friends, but you’re sitting on my lap so I’m sorry if I get hard.”

S48 - “You know, there wasn’t a single thing to eat in the kitchen until you walked in.”

S49 - “I didn’t wanna say anything because we’re such good friends, but I would totally fuck you if you asked.”

S50 - “What are you doing?” / “Hopefully you.”

Miscellaneous

M1 - “I desperately want to take you out for dinner and slow dance with you until the sun comes up, but I also want to grip your hair as I watch you writhing underneath me.”

M2 - “You’re very attractive. Therefore I will stare at you.”

M3 - “Somebody’s cranky.” / “Somebody needs to shut the fuck up.”

M4 - “You’re not short. You wouldn’t understand.”

M5 - “(Character/Your Name) NO.” / “(Character/Your Name) YES.”

M6 - “You’re cute when you’re angry.” / “Yeah, well, I’m about to get really fucking adorable.”

M7 - “I’m not arguing, I’m simply explaining why I’m right.”

M8 - “Do I look like I give a fuck?”

M9 - “What are you doing?” / “Hiding.” / “Hiding from what?” / “Everything.”

M10 - “You’re really cute and it’s ruining my life because I think about kissing you all the time.”

M11 - “Not to dictate your life, but dump your asshole boyfriend/girlfriend/partner and drop your shitty friends.”

M12 - “If anyone can do it, then someone who isn’t me can do it.”

M13 - “Man, how many eye contact until we date?”

M14 - “God has a favorite TV series and it’s called my life.”

M15 - “It’s a beautiful day to stop wasting my time, honey.”

M16 - “Women aren’t complicated. You’re just dumb.”

M17 - “I’m actually pretty cool if you give me five tries to get it right.”

M18 - “Well, this social situation isn’t going the way I acted it out in the shower.”

M19 - “Do the dark circles under my eyes and my unwashed hair turn you on?”

M20 - “My opinion is no.”

M21 - “Are we gonna hold hands or what?”

M22 - “True love is having a crush even when they get a bad haircut.”

M23 - “Be prepared to add a cute emoji next to my name in your contact list because you’re gonna love me.”

M24 - “Was that just awkward eye contact or were we checking each other out?”

M25 - “His/her/their use of common sense is so fucking hot.”

[formula1racing]

Why this blog has been quiet… This is a motor racing blog – at least, most of the time. Now and then, I decide that there are things more important than Formula 1. Today is one of those days. Sadly, not all such days are happy ones, but I am going to tell the story nonetheless, because I want the international motor racing community to know about Jill Saward. My little sister. Blog readers who live in the UK will probably know the name already, given the coverage there has been about her in the last week. She was the lead item on most TV news bulletins last Thursday and on most of the newspaper front pages on Friday morning. There were two reasons for this: she was a remarkable person; and she died suddenly at the age of just 51. The family knew that there might be some media interest, but none of us imagined it would be front page news. You may well ask, why is it? And for those who don’t know the story, I would suggest you read this link, but in very simple terms, Jill was “a rape campaigner”. It is not really the kind of job you want to have, because the primary qualification is to be someone who has been raped. Jill was. She was raped physically by a bunch of depraved thugs, but also metaphorically by the British media – although you won’t read that second part in many of this week’s news stories. You will read instead that she was the first rape victim ever to waive her right to anonymity. The reason she did that was because she wanted to make a difference, and because the media had already destroyed every shred of privacy. Headlines about “the vicar’s daughter” were simply too good for the loathsome creatures who sat on the news desks in Fleet Street, and for the low-lifes who chased the story. At the time I was a young reporter at Autosport and I suddenly found myself in the middle of a terrible drama, at the hands of people who were supposed to be my colleagues. My sister was in hospital. Her then boyfriend was in intensive care, having been beaten unconscious with a cricket bat. My father was in a similar state. Ironically, he was a big fan of cricket and the cricket bat, signed by the great Donald Bradman, was one of his prize possessions. It was a surreal time, which has been described very well by my brother-in-law Chris Hudson in the recent days. It taught me a lot about what not to do as a journalist. The case created fierce criticism about press coverage of rape cases because it was clear from the stories published who the victim had been. The Sun, edited by Kelvin MacKenzie, even published a photograph of Jill, with only her eyes blacked out. They were shameless. They argued, cynically, that media identification of victims was only banned after a defendant had been charged. As far as I am concerned, the name Murdoch will forever with tainted by that contemptible defence. The law was changed. The Press Council published new guidelines on how rape cases should be reported to prevent anonymity being breached. The judicial process after the assailants were caught was utterly appalling: the ringleader, who was not one of the rapists and was there simply to steal, was sentenced to 14 years in prison. The two rapists were each given five years for burglary, one got another five years for rape, the other got three years. The message was clear: goods had more value than the female body. The judge, Mr Justice Leonard, made the extraordinary statement when he justified the light sentences saying that Jill had not suffered any great trauma because of her controlled and dignified demeanour in court. The truth was very different, as Jill would later reveal in a book she wrote in 1990. There was uproar after that and the case would plan an important role in changing the law so that today the prosecution in any case can ask the Attorney General to increase a sentence, if it is felt the judge has failed in his duties. Jill campaigned for changes to the law and over the time these would include making rape within marriage a criminal offence, getting other sexual acts classified as rape, tougher sentencing for rapists, a ban on alleged rapists being allowed to cross-examine victims in court and restrictions on the evidence that can be given about a victim’s sexual history. Jill went on to campaign for the rights of sexual assault victims and to improve the support they receive. She became a sexual assault case worker, trained police forces all over the country and most recently launched a new campaign called JURIES, arguing in favour of mandatory briefings for juries about the myths and stereotypes of sexual violence in rape, sexual assault and abuse trial. She also spoke out against those who in recent times have been seeking a change the law so that those accused of sex crimes can claim anonymity. Despite all her work in 2013-2014 around 16,000 rapes were reported, only a third were sent to the Crown Prosecution Service and only 15 percent resulted in charges being made. Only around six percent resulted in a conviction. And none of this takes into account the fact that the rapes reported were probably only a fraction of the number actually committed. I know quite a few women who have told me about being raped but never reported it, because they feared what would happen. For them, Jill was a beacon of strength, someone who was fighting their fight, challenging judges, politicians and anyone else who needed educating on the subject. On another level, Jill made a huge impact by expressing her belief that forgiveness provides victims with the freedom to move on, without being trapped by the past. The concept that one could forgive such awful acts sent out a powerful message about her Christianity. In short, Jill’s life and her campaigns touched tens of thousands of people and made significant impacts in British legislation. At the same time she spent a large amount of time meeting, talking to or texting with rape victims, trying to help them come to terms with what has happened on a personal basis. As a family, we have received thousands of messages in recent days, and I’d like to quote a couple of the ones that came to me, just to help you understand the kind of impact. “The fact that the passing of Jill was the main item on last night’s BBC news speaks so clearly of the significant difference she made in the lives of so many,” one person wrote. Another, from the motor racing world, wrote: “Jill was an incredible woman. Her support got me through an utterly terrible time and helped me to define myself, without reference to the wickedness that touched my life. Without wishing to sound trite, the difference between seeing oneself as a victim and defining oneself as a survivor is profound and without Jill I don’t think I could have made the step from one to another… I hope that the knowledge that there are people like me in the world for who Jill helped from the darkness back into the light offers a tiny bit of comfort to you all. I suspect her devotion to her cause means that she has touched 100s of lives and has left the world in a better place than she found it.” And is there a better epitaph than that? The Saward children were taught and shared the belief that we could – and indeed should – strive to make the world a better place. Motor racing may seem an odd place to do that, but while it is a ruthless but efficient money-making machine, it is also a place where normal people go to escape; a world of dreams that make life more bearable for many people. I’ve sometimes described myself as “a dream salesman” and I have always felt that in this way I could make a difference. This blog is all about inviting people into the sport and letting them understand. When we were young, the family was not complicated. We had one “big sister”, then “the only boy” and finally the two “little sisters”. The latter were identical twins (left). I’m not really sure why but the only boy and the little sisters formed a little gang, in the Swallows and Amazons sense of the word. We did kid stuff. We had adventures. Our parents always seemed to be too busy to tell stories and the twins wanted them and so I, the scruffy schoolboy, became the family storyteller. I remember only too well those two, almost identical, little faces spellbound by some daft story about elephants with tail lights or whatever else came to mind. They were my first audience – and ultimately the way I learned how to tell stories and transport people to exciting places. And then, all of a sudden, we were adults and our paths went off in different directions. We were outward-looking and independent, but bound together by this thing called love. We were never held back by the family and that meant that we could have big dreams and wide horizons. Often we got lost from one another in the forests of life, but then we would be together again, for weddings and funerals, and we would remember that families can draw strength from one another. Motor racing took me into a world in which there are some amazing intellects and an underlying requirement for constant improvement. If you do not move forward in racing, you fall behind. No-one is ever cruising along. And brilliant minds create fantastic ways in which to apply racing technology to the real world. Yes, there are safer and more efficient cars as a result of the sport, but there is so much else as well, including such things as medical telemetry, more efficient trauma teams (based on pit stop techniques) and many other things. I am proud to be part of Formula 1 and to sing its praises. Formula 1 is really only a village which moves from place to place. One of the things which one learns about during a career as a journalist in F1 is the science of brain injury. We’ve seen a lot of it. My sister suffered a devastating subarachnoid haemorrhage, caused by an aneurysm. My first reaction when I heard the news was to ring Gary Hartstein, who was F1’s village doctor after the great Sid Watkins. Gary knows an amazing amount about trauma medicine and I knew he would help me understand. I told him all I knew, and he answered all my questions, explained the procedures and things which I should look out for, which would signal how things were. He didn’t sugar-coat anything – and added that he was available 24/7. He went the extra mile, as so many F1 people do. Gary was also brave enough to raise the subject of the worst case scenario and how we should be prepared to allow organ donation, in order to save other people. People who die young from brain injuries are among the best sources of healthy organs, which can transform the lives of others. Thanks to Gary, I had no illusions. It may be comforting to think that people with cataclysmic brain injuries are “fighting”, but the reality is often very different. Most are quickly gone and they know nothing of what has happened. In Jill’s case, she was kept alive simply to allow surgical teams and organ recipients to be gathered. That in itself is quite a process. And then, when all was ready, the machines were turned off. There are always positives, even at the worst moments, and the knowledge that others were going to benefit from Jill’s organs provided something. It was good too that our parents (both already gone) were not there to endure the loss of one of their children. After that, the flood of messages began, highlighting Jill’s achievements. The experience drew the family together and healed rifts and it reminded us all that we should never take people for granted. If you feel something important, you should say it, because you never know. This blog post is not about raising money. It is about me saying what I want to say, but at the same time, I am well aware that the motor racing world is filled with wealthy people, who have enough money to buy expensive toys. Perhaps this story will convince them to donate to the “Remembering Jill Saward Fund”, which has been set up by the charity Rape & Sexual Abuse (RASA) Centre Limited. This will help to make sure that her work for survivors of sexual violence will continue. If you would like to help then please click here.

[lil-shiro]

Lance, George, and Carlos watching Q3