Now Reading: Hyderabad catches F1 fever with watch parties and banter
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Hyderabad catches F1 fever with watch parties and banter
Formula 1 watch parties are drawing packed crowds across Hyderabad every Sunday race day, with fans gathering at pubs, sports bars and homes to cheer, debate strategies and trade banter. The community…
Formula 1 watch parties are drawing packed crowds across Hyderabad every Sunday race day, with fans gathering at pubs, sports bars and homes to cheer, debate strategies and trade banter. The community includes longtime followers who discovered the sport as children, such as IT professional Nishanth Vathsal, who has been a fan since second standard and has attended races in the US and plans to travel to Malaysia for the rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix in October.
Organiser Uppaluru Sai Balaji Sasank, who has been hosting screenings since 2024, says 80-100 people turn up for each race, ranging from eight-year-olds to fans in their late 40s. Activities include F1 trivia and fantasy leagues. The release of the film F1 last year has brought in new fans. Others prefer house watch parties for the friendly rivalry between supporters of Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari. A cyber security intern even got an F1 car tattooed on his hand.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The growing F1 fandom in Hyderabad mirrors a national trend driven by the sport's increased accessibility via streaming and the popularity of the Netflix series 'Drive to Survive'. Unlike cricket, which dominates Indian sports viewership, F1's appeal is niche but deeply engaged, often concentrated in tech hubs like Hyderabad and Bengaluru where disposable income and international exposure are higher. The next milestone for this community will be the October race at Sepang, which could attract a significant number of Indian fans travelling abroad.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
