Rendezvous with Formula One

Sounds can be intoxicating but on Sunday, it was seducing, enthralling and deafening at the same time. It was the sound of 24 formula one cars, travelling at more than 200 mph at the Buddh International Circuit at Greater Nodia.

For someone, who has burnt enough midnight oil playing 'Need For Speed' games, it was time to get face-to-face with the sport and I can say now, the rendezvous was sumptuous. The first thing, I noticed the moment I stood in queue to enter the picnic stand in BIC was the 'sweet' sound of the vrooming cars. It was seducing and intoxicating.                                

But the moment, the chequered flag waved off and the cars started their lap, there was no stopping the adrenaline rush. The whole stadium was plunged into a deafening sound of the engines roaring past the stands in no time.  Some blocked their ears, while some just stood there applauding the drivers, most, I assume, without a clue who all were racing. I too stood there soaking in the ambiance. 

The cars set ablaze the track and soon cameras were out with the spectators trying to capture whatever they could with their cameras and mobile cameras. Friends and families huddled together, while the photographer had the challenging job of capturing the zooming cars at the background to create the mood in the pictures.               

After sometime, people relaxed. Some sat on the grass, while others lied down comfortably. Like many enthusiasts, we followed the cars initially but gave up after sometime as the race heated up.

Even as the race touched a crescendo, I sat there, still hearing the sound. The voices inside my mind were drowned in the maddening ambiance and I let my imagination flow. I closed my eyes and could almost visualize the slowing down and the acceleration of the cars, of course they were not correct or even if they were there was no way of finding it out then. I let my mind waver a bit.                    

When I was out of my reverie, it was almost time to leave. For the last time, we feed our eyes. Red Bull's Sabastian Vettel was racing away to victory and Fernando Alonso was trying his best to make a statement. Force India's Nico Hulkenberg was behind but still in the race. I took one last look at the watch and then we walked away, almost tearing our eyes away from the action.

When we came out, the only sound that we could still hear was the 'sweet sound' of the cars. Well, sounds can be intoxicating  but on Sunday, it was seducing, enthralling and deafening at the same time.