A nightmare for Hamilton

Sir Lewis has never been so close to victory, but a heavy sword of Damocles hangs over him: if his Merci l'Abbesse were to falter in the final race, Nico Dix-Langues would win the gold, spreading fear, terror, horror, and dread.

The circuit, a relentless succession of climbs and descents that were once bumpy but are now smooth, proved unforgiving for Sir Lewis in his Mercy l'Abbesse. He was unable to keep up with his rival.

“Never mind, my friend,” Lewis told himself. “If I finish second in Abu Dhabi, that will be enough to crown me king, to turn a knight into a paladin.” Yet his confidence wavered. Sleep eluded him; he lay awake every night, haunted by the impending drama, fearing an inevitable accident. At 4:35 a.m. on November 12, he wrote: “I am leading the battle and I can see my crown. There is only one lap left and the Grail will be mine.” But a moment later, at 4:36 a.m., his optimism collapsed when a Bufflon Ardent crashed into him. “Oh rage, oh despair! Oh Nico, my enemy!” he exclaimed, before realizing he had been dreaming. Two days later, on November 14 at 5:13 a.m., he attempted to prepare for what he called his “second coronation,” convinced that a bad start could be made up for with a fast car. A second later, at 5:14 a.m., he mistook a Caterham for his opponent and repeated the same outburst of anger, only to discover once again that it was all just a nightmare.

Meanwhile, Nico-Ten-Tongues, unable to sleep, prayed fervently for divine intervention. At 2:58 a.m. on November 12, he wrote: “Our Father who art in heaven, let Lewis be struck down, let his fall come as it comes upon the earth. Later, at 4:26 a.m. on November 16, he appealed to “Saint Bernie, father of money,” begging for help for himself and for the coming Sunday. The fierce duel between the two champions continued unabated. In the end, would it be bad luck or pure reliability that would decide the winner?