Spectators poured in at the Buddh International Circuit on Saturday, trying to soak in every bit of the action at India’s debut Grand Prix.
On the second day of the grand spectacle in Greater Noida, excitement among race enthusiasts, cutting across age groups, peaked.
Anuj Gupta of Delhi University had fractured his leg 20 days ago but not his spirit for the motor sport. He was at the circuit, on crutches. Chinmay Rathi, a BTech student from Meerut, and Rahul Saxena, an MBA student of Delhi, reached the venue despite running high fever.
With celebrities such as Shah Rukh Khan, Saurav Ganguly and Mayawati likely to attend the main race on Sunday, everyone wants their brush with the F1 experience. “Everyone wants to have a glimpse of those powerful machines and champion drivers. The speed and sound is mind-boggling,” said Parul Kohli, a motor rally driver in Noida.
“I have always been fascinated by speed. It was my dream to watch Michael Schumacher and Narain Karthikeyan on the racing track. Today, my dream will come true,” said Samarth Anand.
{{/usCountry}}“I have always been fascinated by speed. It was my dream to watch Michael Schumacher and Narain Karthikeyan on the racing track. Today, my dream will come true,” said Samarth Anand.
{{/usCountry}}Aditi Jain said, “The qualifying round took my breath away. I am in a trance. I will surely come for the finals.”
Foreigners looked equally excited. Francois of France, who has been associated with F1 in his country, said, “I have been to several races in the world. The atmosphere is electric. The response is superb. I think cricket will take a backseat in India, at least for now.”