Celebrities and fanfare at India's first F1
![1) Grid girls pose on the circuit prior to the start of the Formula One Indian Grand Prix in Greater Noida. - AFP Photo 1) Grid girls pose on the circuit prior to the start of the Formula One Indian Grand Prix in Greater Noida. - AFP Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/163.jpg)
![Spanish Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Scuderia Ferrari poses for the media prior to the Formula One party at the Lap Buddh International Circuit. - AFP Photo Spanish Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Scuderia Ferrari poses for the media prior to the Formula One party at the Lap Buddh International Circuit. - AFP Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/1115.jpg)
![Indian Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone poses for the media as she arrives to attend the Formula One party. - AFP Photo Indian Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone poses for the media as she arrives to attend the Formula One party. - AFP Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/1212.jpg)
![Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's Husband Robert Vadra arrives at the paddock prior to the Grand Prix. - AFP Photo Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's Husband Robert Vadra arrives at the paddock prior to the Grand Prix. - AFP Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/156.jpg)
![Ferrari driver Felipe Massa of Brazil poses on a vintage car during the driver's parade of the Grand Prix. ? AP Photo Ferrari driver Felipe Massa of Brazil poses on a vintage car during the driver's parade of the Grand Prix. ? AP Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/416.jpg)
![Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso of Spain waves during the driver's parade. - AP Photo Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso of Spain waves during the driver's parade. - AP Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/513.jpg)
![Richard Branson, president of Virgin Atlantic Airways, center, looks at the driver's parade. - AP Photo Richard Branson, president of Virgin Atlantic Airways, center, looks at the driver's parade. - AP Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/615.jpg)
![Fans of Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil look down into the pits during the qualifying session. - Reuters Photo Fans of Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil look down into the pits during the qualifying session. - Reuters Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/715.jpg)
![Grid girls pose on the circuit prior to the start of the Grand Prix. - AFP Photo Grid girls pose on the circuit prior to the start of the Grand Prix. - AFP Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/139.jpg)
![Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany drives past the stands. - Reuters Photo Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany drives past the stands. - Reuters Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/812.jpg)
![British actor Rowan Atkinson visits the McLaren garage during the Grand Prix. - AFP Photo British actor Rowan Atkinson visits the McLaren garage during the Grand Prix. - AFP Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/1310.jpg)
![Jessica Michibata, girlfriend of McLaren driver Jenson Button of Britain, looks on at the team garage. - AFP Photo Jessica Michibata, girlfriend of McLaren driver Jenson Button of Britain, looks on at the team garage. - AFP Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/147.jpg)
![Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar arrives in the paddock. - AFP Photo Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar arrives in the paddock. - AFP Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/313.jpg)
![Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar (L) waves to spectators from the finishing line during the Grand Prix. - AFP Photo Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar (L) waves to spectators from the finishing line during the Grand Prix. - AFP Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/214.jpg)
![McLaren Formula One driver Jenson Button of Britain (L) pours champagne on Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany on the podium after Vettel won the first Indian Formula One Grand Prix. - Reuters Photo McLaren Formula One driver Jenson Button of Britain (L) pours champagne on Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany on the podium after Vettel won the first Indian Formula One Grand Prix. - Reuters Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/1010.jpg)
![Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil (C) poses with models during the after-party of the Grand Prix. - Reuters Photo Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil (C) poses with models during the after-party of the Grand Prix. - Reuters Photo](https://i.dawn.com/2011/10/912.jpg)
India is known for a love of sports and an inability to organise them but that perception shifted this weekend with a successful Formula One grand prix, held at the Buddh International Circuit in Noida, 38 kilometers (24 miles) from New Delhi.
Bollywood stars descended on the venue, incongruously set on a barren development site, while India's idolised cricketers were mobbed by undignified media scrums.
Helicopters helped the super-rich beat the traffic, Virgin's Richard Branson chatted with F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone and dozens of mini-skirted pit girls turned heads as they trooped through the paddock.
Indian media trumpeted the event, with the Times of India devoting five pages of coverage and splashing “World raises toast to India” as its main headline on the front page.
“It is not only Sebastian Vettel, winner in Sunday's race, who is celebrating.” - Photos by Agencies
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