Watch: Formula 1 opens British Grand Prix weekend with a burst of Punjabi bhangra

Formula 1 opened the British Grand Prix Sprint at Silverstone with a vibrant Punjabi Bhangra performance on the grid. The display marked the start of South Asian Heritage Month.

In Short

• Punjabi dancers and drummers performed before thousands as Sprint build-up continued
• Jas Aulakh and Bhangra Fam Academy danced to Kaun Nee Jaandah
• The sport later shared performance footage across its official social channels

For a few unforgettable minutes before the British Grand Prix Sprint, Formula 1's iconic starting grid traded horsepower for Bhangra.

Thousands of fans watched as Punjabi dancers and drummers transformed Silverstone into a colourful celebration of South Asian Heritage Month.

The lively celebration took place just before Saturday's Sprint race, offering spectators a cultural spectacle before the drivers lined up on the starting grid.

Clad in vibrant traditional attire, the performers filled the iconic Silverstone circuit with high-energy dance moves and rhythmic drum beats, creating a striking contrast to the race cars waiting just metres away.

Leading the performance was Jas Aulakh and her dance troupe, Bhangra Fam Academy, who performed an electrifying routine to the Punjabi track Kaun Nee Jaandah. The dancers' synchronised choreography and the powerful sound of the dhol drew cheers from the crowd, turning one of motorsport's most famous grids into a celebration of South Asian culture.

Formula 1 later shared footage of the performance on its official social media platforms with the caption: "Ahead of F1 Sprint we celebrated South Asian Heritage Month with a special Bhangra performance on the grid."

South Asian Heritage Month is observed every year from July 1 to July 31, celebrating the history, cultures and contributions of people with roots in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives.

The celebration unfolded during what has already become a record-breaking British Grand Prix weekend. Around 570,000 spectators attended the Silverstone event, making it one of the biggest race weekends on the Formula 1 calendar.

The video has since delighted fans online, with many applauding Formula 1 for bringing South Asian culture to one of the sport's biggest stages.

Viewers described the performance as a fitting way to kick off South Asian Heritage Month, with several saying the fusion of Bhangra and Formula 1 made for an unforgettable pre-race spectacle.

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