As Sebastian Vettel chases records at the Indian Grand Prix next Sunday,he will bank on the expertise of Bal Sira,a 31-year-old mechanic of Punjabi origin,who maintains the engines that drives the world champions Red Bull F1 car. Being part of the F1 circus takes Sira round the world. Yet,he is experiencing the excitement of a first-time traveller ahead of the visit to India,a country hes heard his family discuss so often. Its going to be my first visit to the country about which I have heard so much about from my family. I dont speak Hindi or Punjabi fluently but I understand both languages well. At home,my parents and grandmother speak Punjabi,Hindi and Swahili, Sira told The Sunday Express. Sira,whose grandparents lived in pre-Partition Lahore,whose parents lived in Kenya,and who was born in London,admires Amitabh Bachchan,is passionate about cricket and loves dal-roti. Sira has made mental notes about India gathered from Red Bull personnel who drove the show car on the Khardung pass in the Ladakh and on the Buddh International circuit in the lead-up to the Indian Grand Prix. The team had such wonderful things to say. This trip should be a great experience, Vettelss No. 2 mechanic said.
