Straining his neck from his wheelchair, Barkat Beg had his eyes fixed on the giant screen as David Coulthard took a minute longer than it takes to prepare instant noodles to sail over the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.

Before a car accident that also limited his speech, the 26-year-old software engineer was a speed freak. Even now, Beg didn’t want to miss a glimpse of Coulthard touching 260 kph.

It helped being the son of Assistant Commissioner of Police Mirza Beg, who was on duty at the crowded venue. “Ever since he came to know that Coulthard was to drive on the Sea Link, he pestered me to bring him here,” said the father.

After his back-and-forth laps on the Sea Link, it was time for some party tricks from the man who has won 13 Grand Prix races. The Scot did what is called “making doughnuts”, a mind-spinning 360° turn. Some rolled their eyes; others just shook their heads in open amazement.

Coulthard seemed overwhelmed by the response. “Whether everybody here understands Formula One or not, I thank them for turning out in large numbers on a Sunday afternoon,” said Coulthard. He found the sea link smooth. “It was longer than I had expected but the road was quite smooth. It’s a good piece of engineering, I really enjoyed it.”

Coulthard may have feared the fans would get too inspired by his drive; he gave them “don’t try at home” advice. “I drove at a high speed because I have been doing it for 15 years but you never try that on the open roads. It could be fatal,” he warned.

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