Cracking the speed formula

The third season of F1 at Buddh International Circuit had no celeb presence yet was a hit among Delhiites who love speed

Vrooming to glory, the single-seater, open-cockpit, open-wheel racing cars, appeared similar to spaceships as they vanished within seconds of their appearance in front of the stands at 5.14 km-long Buddh International Circuit while gearing up for 2013 Indian Grand Prix- Formula One World Championship. When such was the case during the practice race, one can estimate the scenario in finale.

Leaving behind marks of concentric circles as evidence of their presence, the beastly machines manoeuvred by their respective racers took no time to think as they indulged in the hangover of speed! Like it is said, a child's future can be predicted through his abilities displayed in his youth, Sebastian Vettel’s performance in this practice session had already played the begul of his victory in F1 2013, which followed subsequently.

In the first session itself, the Red Bull driver enjoyed his drive ahead of his competitors and rose like a lightening in the second practice session even when the temperatures had risen to 39 degrees. Close to him was Romain Grosjean of Lotus who displayed plenty of grit while Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes too made their presence felt off-and-on.

Many drivers were hampered by front tyre wear and the struggling cars rediscovered their pace and traction only after reaching their pit stops. These were the moments when the action shifted from the tracks to the stands as the enthusiastic fans got a chance to admire the cars more closely.

While Force India's car looked stunning in its tri-colour theme, it was Nico Rosberg's shining armour in silver with a hint of green that stole most hearts. Few female spectators pushed the conventional boundaries and got their hands hennaed near the racing tracks. Although, it was funny to see a mehendiwalla at work with his ears plugged; the spirit and growing madness for speed in the stands was much appreciated.

For some F1 enthusiasts, the roaring noise of racing cars was music to the ears. “We could hear it right at the parking lot when we stepped out of our vehicle and could not stop to reach the stands and catch the action,” said Chiranjeeta, a regular at the event. Others like her just could not get enough time to make video recordings and click pictures as the racers took to the wheels and disappeared within fractions of a second.

While enthusiasm took over to those sitting in the stands as they munched chips, those stationed in the boxes above indulged in discussions about the ongoing lawsuit related to Buddh International Circuit. But these talks coupled with bites of nachos, got intermitted by the sound of an approaching car which diverted all eyes to the TV screen and the scoreboard placed alongside. Since it was ultimately about the sport and the sporting spirit which ruled much after the finale.