F1,Once Again

Any Formula 1 (F1) racing event is incomplete without the oomph and glamour of the grid girls. Raising the temperature at the race tracks will be grid girls,wearing costumes by designer duo Shantanu and Nikhil. In fact,the duo have had an old association with sports — having designed jerseys for Indian Premier League teams such as Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils. Nikhil Mehra says,“There is no sport as glamorous as F1 as it is synonymous with sport,luxury and high fashion.”

Talking about the outfit,Mehra explains,“The silhouette is a short red dress,and the colour has been inspired by the race itself. White lines that run across the dress refer to the racy spirit and the power of F1 racing. It is a mix of glamour,sophistication and edginess.”

Besides fashion,Bollywood too will make its presence felt in more ways than one. To keep up the event’s masala quotient,actors Sonakshi Sinha and Ajay Devgn,ready with their upcoming film Son of Sardar,will kick off Day 3 at the Buddh International Circuit by singing the national anthem. Sinha,who will be attending the F1 race for the first time,said,“Girls love fast cars and I just cannot wait for the race. F1 is a boys’ sport but I am going to prove that girls can enjoy it as well.”

With the roaring sound of the careening cars in the background,Bollywood music composers Vishal and Shekhar,and singer Shaan will regale the spectators on the last day of the Indian Grand Prix. Interestingly,the entry to this event will be free for all those who will be coming to watch the race. Another highlight on the same day is a live performance by the 65-year-old legendary guitarist Carlos Santana,as part of the Formula One Rocks concert at Galgotias University in Greater Noida.

And of course,there will be F1 after-parties. While American pop diva Lady Gaga was the highlight of the last year’s edition,this year,American rapper Jamie Luiz Gomez aka Taboo of The Black Eyed Peas promises to keep the tempo going. He is set to perform at the F1 after-party at Claridges,Surajkund.

Living up to the “spirit” of the race,several F1-inspired cocktails will be served at the after-parties. Among the six cocktails that seek inspiration from the event are Belvedere Circuit and Belvedere Pit Stop,conceptualised and designed by Claire Smith,head of Spirit Creation and Mixology at Belvedere Vodka.

To attract more F1 enthusiasts,the tickets this time are cheaper as compared to last year,beginning at just Rs 2,000 and going up to Rs 21,000. Last year,the price of the season ticket for the main grandstand was Rs 35,000,which has come down to Rs 21,000 this year,while a one-day main grandstand ticket costs Rs 12,000 this year.

Tickets are available at http://www.bookmyshow.com.