Chequered flag

Chequered flag

F1 can’t match cricket’s popularity: Yuvi

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Yuvraj Singh was awed after watching the Formula One inaugural Indian Grand Prix Sunday, but said it would be difficult for the sport to match cricket’s popularity in India as it is only an annual event.

Yuvraj, who watched the 60-lap race with fellow cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Sachin Tendulkar, said he fell in love with the sound of the engines and did not get bored one bit.

“With the response that the race got, I can safely say that F1 is here to stay in India,” he said but added, “Beating cricket is tough because F1 will happen only once in a year. Had the race happened six times a year, then it would be a definitive yes from my side. Having said that, F1 is great to watch and should give Indian motorsports a huge push.”

Sachin pays respect to Wheldon, Simoncelli

Sachin Tendulkar Sunday joined the Formula One fraternity in observing a minute’s silence as a mark of respect to Dan Wheldon and Marco Simoncelli who recently died in tragic crashes in IndyCar and Moto GP races respectively.

Besides Tendulkar, F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, all the drivers of the 12 participating teams and their top team officials lined up in front of the Grandstand before the start of the race. Tendulkar, who was especially invited by Ecclestone himself for the event, was seen standing in the second row behind the drivers during the one-minute silence.

Bollywood glitterati and ‘Mr Bean’ add glamour

Not only did the inaugural Indian Grand Prix excite the B-town celebrities who thronged to watch the live action, McLaren guest Rowan Atkinson or Mr Bean as he is commonly known, was also seen enjoying the race with his trademark grimaces!