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India's first ever Grand Prix scheduled this October is generating a buzz in a country where cricket remains a dominant sport.
A photography exhibition displaying rare archival photos of Formula One racing dating back to 1957 opened in the national capital recently aiming to create more local interest in the game.
"We hope this Grand Prix will be the tipping point for motorsports in India. This unique country celebrates cricket, even football but the scope for motor sports can also be widened," says Donald Anderson, Country Head, Shell Lubricants, which co hosted the event with automotive company Ferrari.
The auto tech giant is celebrating 60 years of partnership with Ferrari this year.
From the oldest photo, of former Ferrari driver Mike Hawthorn in Ferrari D50 that got him the 1956 world championship title, to that of the team's mechanics with the current challenger at the 2011 Chinese Grand Prix, the exhibition took viewers through a journey reliving the F1 evolution.
It features photographs of Juan Manuel Fangio in the 1950s, through the hugely-successful Michael Schumacher era onto Fernando Alonso in the current seat.
The collection of 25 photos spanned a lifetime of victories for Ferrari. It shows choicest moments from more than 150 wins by Ferrari and 12 Formula One World Drivers' and 10 World Constructors' Championship Crowns it has won.