2013 Indian GP lacks celebrity quotient

A sari-clad Jessica Michibata, a fashion model and girlfriend of McLaren driver Jenson Button, stole the limelight in the paddock of the 2013 Indian Grand Prix, which was devoid of colour and celebrity quotient.
The current edition of the race was a complete contrast of the inaugural Indian GP where glitz and glamour was in full show.
With uncertainty looming large over the future of the Indian GP after it has been scrapped from the 2014 calendar, there was hardly any buzz around the event this time.
Bollywood's perennial bad man and a big fan of Formula One, Gulshan Grover was the first to arrive at the Buddh International Circuit here today.

Among others celebrities who were spotted at the BIC were actress Gul Panag, Union Minister Shahi Tharoor and his better half Sunanda Pushkar, ace double trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi, chairman of Sahara India Pariwar and part owner of Sahara Force India team Subrata Roy and his wife Sapna Roy and Force India team principal Vijay Mallya.
In the absence of top Indian celebrities, it was Michibata, born to an Argentine father and Japanese mother, who turned out to be the centre of attraction at the BIC.

Wearing a traditional pink sari, Michibata was in huge demand among the Indian media.

There were also rumours around the BIC's paddock area that megastar Amitabh Bachchan could make an appearance during the race but it was not to be.
Even F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who was present during the first two Indian GPs, gave the 2013 race a miss, raising further doubts about the sport's future in the country.