Former Indian soap opera actress turned content creator Jheel Mehta and her husband, Formula 1 (F1) content creator Aditya Dube, are in Singapore as guests of F1 team Alpine. In a quick catch up at the Alpine hospitality suite, Ms Jheel described her first F1 as an “out of body experience.”
She began following the sport in 2021 and sheepishly admits her entry point was a crush on Alpine driver Pierre Gasly, which made her current circumstance feel almost prophetic.
“Coming here as a guest of Alpine is something that I didn’t even dream of,” she effusively shared, likening the moment of meeting him to walking down the aisle with Gasly waiting at the other end.
Mr Aditya chuckled along. A die-hard follower of the motorsport, he too feels like this is a dream come true – a stroke of luck that arrived after years of hard work.
Requesting their agency to secure this opportunity for the couple, Mr Aditya highlighted that as viewers and unofficial promoters of the sport, Alpine saw their potential to reach India’s growing market.
Ms Jheel, who starred in the famed Hindi-language TV show, Tarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma, said fans responded to her social media updates from the paddock as a “holy crossover”.
Both have watched F1’s popularity in India soar. A few years ago, Mr Aditya noted, hardly any one in the country followed F1 with the same ferocity they do cricket, but growth since has been exponential. The couple hope the momentum will lead to the return of the Indian Grand Prix.
They point to big companies pushing for a comeback and a grassroots culture of karting programmes in schools and colleges, with kids building and racing their own cars. In their view, only the ecosystem is missing. They suggested the Buddh circuit could one day host a race given the right infrastructure.
Interacting with the drivers
Alpine’s drivers left a lasting impression on the pair. Despite a punishing schedule of media commitments and a constant stream of fans, Ms Jheel shared that they came across authentic and forthcoming with their interactions.
That goodwill could also be attributed to the fact that Ms Jheel brought handmade Indian gifts from India, including a ‘nimbu mirchi’ (lemon and chilli) charm, traditionally meant to bring good luck.
Franco Colapinto, the other Alpine driver, was curious about it, they said, and asked what it signified.
Other drivers made their mark too. Ferrari was a childhood favourite and Charles Leclerc was especially generous with his time. Ms Jheel shared that he was one of the few drivers that stopped walking to pose for a photo, waving her over when she momentarily froze in a starstruck daze.
With the race fast approaching on Sunday, Mr Aditya shared that he is “just waiting for that race start into turn one, that’s when everything I’ve worked towards will come to fruition.”
The couple also crossed paths with Arvid Linblad, who is of Indian origin, when he visited Mumbai for a karting event with Indian creators before his debut season. He seemed nervous and taciturn then, they said. Now, they noted, “he really looks and carries himself like an F1 driver, and it is great seeing him do so well at just 19.”
For the two who hope this is the first of many Grand Prix races to come, Monza is the ultimate dream. They intend to keep putting in the work to one day set foot on the grounds of the “temple of speed” and the home of Ferrari.
