ONLY the most passionate Formula One fan would do something like this: Buy an antique racing car, stick his favourite team's colours on it and display it around Singapore to whip up Grand Prix excitement.
Pramodh Raja, an events executive with the Singapore Cricket Association and a national cricket team player, did just that from Tuesday to Saturday.
He placed his prized possession -- a 1940s Ferrari replica model -- on a rented pick-up and drove to "areas where there are a lot of people" to garner support for Force India.
F1 supporter with replica of 1943 car.
ST PHOTO: Lim Sin Thai
"People were curious, and wanted to find out more about the race and Force India," said the 29-year-old. "No one laughed at me.
"I though I had to do something for Force India because it is a young team and I wanted to appreciate and acknowledge the effort put in by its owner Vijay Mallya. I have been a fan of his for many years."
(Mallya is an Indian drinks and aviation billionaire, who also owns the Indian Premier League cricket team Bangalore Royal Challengers. He has a house in Singapore.)
Cricket is Raja's primary passion. But he has become an F1 buff since the first night race was held here last year.
A month ago, he spotted a dust-covered replica racing car -- one-sixth the size of an actual F1 car -- at an antique shop on Serangoon Road. He bought it for $1,000.
He did not want to spoil the original colours. So he put Force India stickers on the car.
Then, as the Formula One fever swept the Republic, he hired a Nissan pick-up for $40 a day and went about garnering support for the fledgling F1 team, who are lying ninth among the 10 teams.
F1 supporter with replica of 1943 car.
ST PHOTO: Lim Sin Thai
F1 supporter with replica of 1943 car.
ST PHOTO: Lim Sin Thai
"I like Mallya because he named the team after a nation," said Raja. "Other teams have the company's name."
The slogans draped on the sides of the pick-up are: "Mallya we are with you", "Support Force India" and "Mallya all the way".
So, how are Force India going to fare in this year's Singapore Grand Prix?
"I have this feeling they will come in the top three," said Raja.
Now, that's the kind of fan F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is looking for: Passionate about his team to the core.