March 11th. Bahrain Pre-Season Test. Day 2.
The desert wind picked up in the afternoon, swirling sand across the paddock. Dominik sat in the Williams briefing room, listening to the engineers discuss tire wear. But his mind was elsewhere.
News had broken that morning, exploding through the paddock like a cluster bomb.
Fernando Alonso to retire at the end of 2022.
It was a shock. In this timeline, the Spaniard wasn't switching teams; he was hanging up his helmet. Dominik and Zhou Guanyu had stood together by the coffee machine earlier, staring at the headlines in disbelief. For their generation, Alonso was a titan—the man who dethroned Schumacher.
"First Kimi, now Fernando," Zhou had murmured, looking genuinely sad.
But while the fans mourned, the gears of Formula 1 turned.
That evening, Dominik met O'Connor in a quiet corner of the paddock, away from the prying eyes of journalists.
"It's confirmed," O'Connor said, his voice low. "I spoke to Lawrence Stroll. He's not looking for Alonso anymore obviously. And he knows Vettel is leaving."
Dominik leaned against the wall. "Vettel is retiring too? Two world champions in one year?"
"Seb wants to spend time with his kids. He's done," O'Connor confirmed. "That leaves a vacuum at Aston Martin. A seat with a massive budget, a new factory being built, and a desire for a young star to lead them into the future."
He pulled a folder from his bag.
"They want you, Dominik. Mike Krack was impressed by the 'Mazepin Save' and your sector times here. They see you as the next generation. They don't want to wait."
Dominik looked at the folder. He thought about Williams. They had given him his start. But Williams was a team surviving; Aston Martin was a team building.
"Let's do it," Dominik said.
They walked to the Aston Martin hospitality unit. The blinds were drawn. Inside, Mike Krack was waiting.
"Mr. Corvinus," Krack said, standing up. "Have you made a decision?"
Dominik didn't hesitate. He took the pen.
The contract was for 2023 and 2024. A multi-year deal worth €6 million annually.
He signed his name: Dominik Corvinus.
"Welcome to the team," Krack shook his hand. "Next year, you will be driving green."
Dominik walked out into the cool night air. He felt lighter. The pressure of fighting for a seat was gone. Now, he just had to survive his rookie season.
March 12th. Bahrain Pre-Season Test. Day 3.
The final day of testing. Dominik was back in the Williams FW44, but today, the focus shifted.
"We need to test the C2 compound on heavy fuel," Gaëtan Jego instructed.
Dominik spent the morning pounding around the track, managing the harder tires. The car felt heavy and sluggish with the fuel load, but he kept his lap times consistent.
Then, just before the lunch break, Gaëtan called him in.
"Box, box. We're putting on the C4s. Low fuel. One push lap."
"A glory run?" Dominik asked, grinning inside his helmet.
"Just a... system check," Gaëtan lied.
Dominik went out. The soft tires bit into the asphalt. He flew through the first sector, the car feeling light and responsive. He nailed the braking for Turn 10, managing the lock-up, and powered through the final complex.
He crossed the line.
1:33.856.
It was the fastest time of the session.
Of course, the top teams like Red Bull and Ferrari were sandbagging, running heavy fuel and hiding their true pace. But for a Williams to top the timesheets, even briefly, was a morale booster for the garage.
March 16th. Five Days Until the Race.
The testing was over. The circus remained in Bahrain, preparing for the season opener.
Dominik was in the hotel gym at 6:45 AM. He was running intervals on the treadmill, sweat soaking his shirt. He knew he needed the cardio; the Bahrain heat was brutal, and the new cars were physically demanding.
"So early?" a voice called out.
Dominik turned. George Russell walked in, holding two protein shakes.
"I saw your Steam account was online until midnight," Russell laughed. "I thought you'd sleep in."
"I was analyzing data," Dominik lied. He had actually been playing Elden Ring. "Just clearing my head."
Russell tossed him a shake. "Drink. You'll need it. Toto says the bouncing on the Mercedes is giving him a headache just watching it. My back is killing me."
In the afternoon, Dominik went for neck training.
"Hold for 10 seconds," the physio instructed.
Dominik had a 50kg weight strapped to his head. He gritted his teeth, veins bulging, as he fought the resistance.
Beep.
"Good," the physio said. "You're getting stronger. Your neck is starting to look like Alonso's."
"Don't say that," Dominik groaned, rubbing his neck. "He's retiring. I'm just starting."
That evening, Dominik was resting in his room when his phone blew up.
The Running Man episode had aired in Korea.
Clips were circulating on Twitter and Instagram. The "Water Cup Challenge" where Dominik terrorized Yeji was viral. But the most popular image was a screenshot of the two of them sitting in the observation room, secretly drinking soda like naughty schoolchildren.
The caption on the Korean forum read: The Sneaky Duo.
Dominik chuckled, scrolling through the comments.
"He drives like a demon but eats snacks like a kid."
"Yeji looks so small next to him!"
"Are they dating? The chemistry is sus."
His phone rang. It was a video call from his parents.
"Dominikó!" Katalin's face appeared. "We saw the show. You looked... acceptable. Although your hair was messy in the final scene."
"Thanks, Mom," Dominik sighed. "Are you coming to the race?"
"We are busy with the Tokyo expansion," his father Gábor said, appearing in the frame. "But we will be watching. Don't crash the car. It's bad for the brand."
"Love you too, Dad."
He hung up. He felt a pang of loneliness. Most drivers would have family here for their debut. He would be alone.
Then, his phone rang again.
Unknown Number (Korea).
"Hello?"
"Aren't you afraid I'll crash it again?" A female voice demanded.
Dominik smiled. "Miss Hwang. I assume you're talking about the Ferrari."
"I have the car," Yeji said. "It's fixed. But you left the keys with the dealer and put my name as the pickup contact. Do you know how confused they were?"
"I figured you could drive it back to my garage," Dominik said, lying back on the bed. "Consider it practice. There's a race on the 18th. You can give me the keys next time we meet."
There was a pause.
"Okay," Yeji said. "I'll bring them."
"Bring them where?"
"To Bahrain. The race."
Dominik sat up. "You're coming?"
"My schedule cleared up. And I need to return the keys personally, or you'll accuse me of stealing it." She sounded defensive, but Dominik could hear a smile in her voice. "Plus, I want to see if you're actually fast, or if you just bully K-Pop idols."
Dominik laughed. "Fine. I'll get you a pass."
He hung up and texted Jost Capito.
Dominik: I need a Paddock Club pass for a guest.
Capito: Family?
Dominik: ...Friend.
Capito: Male or Female?
Dominik: Female.
Capito: Understood. I will list her as "Partner" for the FIA clearance.
Dominik: Wait, no, she's not-
Capito: Submitted. See you tomorrow.
Dominik stared at the phone. Partner.
"Well," he muttered to the empty room. "This is going to be an interesting weekend."