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HOT WHEELS

The screech of the wheels, the roar of the engines and the whiz of the sleek cars; it’s not a wonder to see why most people are glued to Formula One (F1).

With a grand start in Bahrain this year, the F1 season seems quite promising and the fans are excited to see the best car racers in the world compete against one another. Metrolife spoke to a few fans to find out what is it about the game that excites them the most.

Varan Mittal, a student of Christ University, loves the glamour quotient and the level of competition between the teams. “It goes down to nano seconds and there is a feeling about the racers being so close yet so far,” he explains.

He even attended the Singapore Grand Prix 2009, which was one of the “best experiences of his life”. “The look and the sound of a car at a live race is unimaginable. Soon as I entered, people were asking me to buy ear plugs. Plus the practice sessions are like a huge carnival,” he recalls. Varan adds, “The programme was hosted by Lindsay Lohan and there were performances by the ‘Backstreet Boys’ and ‘Black Eyed Peas’. It was great fun.”  

Varan’s friend Anirudh, who was also with him at the Singapore Grand Prix says, “It was an experience like no other. Since we are students and wanted the trip to be as economical as possible, we stayed in hostels and used to be out the entire day. We also watched the Aston Martin series,” he says excitedly. The two also hope to go for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix later this year.

Every new season of F1 comes with new rules, and that excites both Varan and Anirudh.
“This year, refuelling has been banned. So it’d be interesting to see how the teams cope up with it,” says Varan. Adds Anirudh, “My favourite racer this year is Sebastian Vettel of the Red Bull team as he is one of the youngest and the best. I have chosen to support Red Bull this year as I believe in a player more than a team.”

And it’s not just guys who have a passion for wheels. Many young girls are hooked on to the race too. Namratha, a young electronics engineer, is a huge fan of Michael Schumacher and Ferrari.

“I love Ferrari because they have the best technology. I don’t know what to expect this year as Schumacher is not a part of Ferrari anymore. He is racing for Mercedes,” she says.

Namratha hopes to go for the Singapore Grand Prix this year. “Since the race happens through the City, it’s fun to watch.”
She adds, “Plus, I love it when it rains. There are more chances of the teams overtaking each other then.”