Lewis Hamilton got many hearts thumping as he rolled out on Nice Road in Bangalore on Tuesday morning in the c... Read More

BANGALORE: The screech of the McLaren Mercedes MP4-23 engine is so sharp, it can pierce your head. The car, which touches a speed of 300 km/hour within seconds, zips past before you even realize it, but it's a sight you will remember for the rest of your life.

Ace F1 driver Lewis Hamilton got many hearts thumping as he rolled out on Nice Road in Bangalore on Tuesday morning in the car which won him the title in 2008. It was the first F1 on an Indian road and Bangaloreans were there to witness it, and cheer lustily. Though the organizers expected 5,000, a mind-boggling 20,000-plus people turned up.

Around 10.30am, the competition was between the sound of the engine and the cheer of the crowd. A 400-m stretch of Nice road was cordoned off for Lewis. On this short stretch, he undertook multiple sorties, touching a speed of at least 150 km/hour. Lewis said he couldn't go beyond the second gear but the crowd went ecstatic even with that speed.

Both sides of the road were packed with fans who broke through the barricades. At one point, they hit the track, and so did policemen who were there to control the crowds. They merrily clicked away as the F1 zipped around. When Lewis came out to talk to the crowd, one master of ceremonies introduced him as the youngest world champion. Taking the microphone, the star said with humour: "I was the youngest world champion."

Excited by the response, he stood on his car and waved, greeting the fans with a "namaste" and telling them he just loved 'Tikka masala'.

The 26-year-old also drove 10 lucky Bangaloreans on hot laps in a Mercedes SL 63 AMG. Among them was Ashok Kheny, managing director, Nice, who referred to it as a "roller coaster ride". "When you are driving with the best in the world, it can't be anything less than perfect," he said.