Surya Minelli and her partner Darayus Engineer run Da Tita by Magic Italy in Majorda.
Photo Credits: Roland Gomes
PANAJI
History awaits Red Bull's Max Verstappen at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday as the Dutchman could surpass Sebastian Vettel for winning the most consecutive Grand Prix in Formula 1.
Verstappen has been on one of the most dominant runs and a victory at Monza would make it 10 back-to-back wins for the 25-year-old. Whether Verstappen can achieve the enormous feat at the Temple of Speed is a spectacle that Goans can witness in the laidback and scenic village of Majorda where Da Tita, an Italian restaurant, will be screening their home race.
Da Tita by Magic Italy was set up by Giovanni Battista Minelli and Claudia Zubani back in 1999 and has been serving lip-smacking Italian food ever since. Now, run by their daughter Surya Minelli and her partner Darayus Engineer, the restaurant that was already popular for its great food has become a hotspot in South Goa for Formula 1 screenings.
"The Monza GP is my favourite track out of all because of its high-speed nature. It’s called the Temple of Speed for a reason! The Tifosi also create an electrifying atmosphere there every year. The shots of the crowd during the race and especially during the podium are visuals that are synonymous with Formula 1," says Surya, excited for her home race.
Although Italy is the only European nation that gets to host two races, a bonanza for the motorsport-loving nation, heavy rains and floods in the country's Emilia-Romagna region led to the cancellation of the Imola Grand Prix in May that saw at least 13 people die.
"I’m glad the FIA and Formula 1 decided to cancel the event as it was a disastrous situation on the ground in Imola. I have a few family and friends that were severely affected due to the weather and the consequent floods," recalls Surya. "There was just no way the weekend could have gone on safely and without putting extra burden on the authorities and the locals," she adds.
With its authentic pizzas and pasta, the Italian restaurant will now have the opportunity to provide its patrons with the ultimate Monza GP experience. "It's always nice to see the atmosphere in the restaurant change during a screening. The audience is eager to see their team lead, and each race weekend comes with its own drama, and backstage gossip and theories. It’s a very engaging sport, and it's nice to see it gaining an audience in Goa over the last few years," reveals Surya.
"In the beginning, we used to screen the race weekends because we are hardcore fans, and when races were held during work hours, it was hard to watch them. We thought that screening them would sort of give us an excuse to be able to watch them on a big screen, but we then realised that our customers showed interest in these screenings and would sometimes come to us and ask questions regarding the sport to know more," says Surya on what motivated her to screen races.
The restaurant makes customised posters for each race and shares them across their socials to inform customers about the screenings. "We have added a Ferrari flag, as it’s a family favourite, to encourage the Tifosi. We have recently upgraded our sound for the occasion, and we will be innovating as we go," says Surya on her plans to expand the viewing experience.
The growth in fans across the State has been quite encouraging for restaurants like Da Tita. "The interest and excitement have both grown tremendously. The first race we ever screened in 2021 had zero people interested in watching. And now more than half the restaurant gets reserved by Formula 1 fans during the races," Surya disclosed.
With Da Tita's Italian roots, the owners supporting Ferrari would be a safe assumption. However, the family also supports Alfa Romeo and Red Bull. The latter have been on a monstrous campaign whereas Ferrari have made the podium only thrice.
The prancing horses have served heartbreak after heartbreak with either poor strategy or silly mistakes. "The Italians have been disappointed for quite some time now. I just hope to see Ferrari have a good weekend without any of the usual blunders. Hopefully, they can make the Tifosi go wild with a surprise podium," says an optimistic Surya.
To cap a thrilling experience, Da Tita serves its customers with complimentary shots after the end of every race. "We will say this, if Ferrari wins the Italian GP, the celebratory shots will be different," teases Surya.
On Sunday, Goans will not only be able to view a thrilling race at the Temple of Speed but also partake in a journey of flavourful and traditional food at Da Tita by Magic Italy from 6.30 pm onwards.
