On 27 February 2005 Mark Webber did ’10 laps’ of Sydney Harbour Bridge in his Williams FW26B BMW F1 car…
Webber had just joined Williams from Jaguar and much was expected of his shift to a top team. The Harbour Bridge run promotion was part of the build up to that years AGP held at Albert Park on 6 March.
The Bridge, a critical part of Sydney’s traffic flow was closed for 5 hours for the sortie which itself took only 10 minutes, he was flagged away by New South Wales Premier, Bob Carr.
The 2004 spec, V10 engined car was based at the City end of the Bridge and went backwards and forwards between the CBD and Kirribilli, Mark flicking the car to make the ‘tight u turns’ required. The FW26, a race winning car in Juan Pablo-Montoya’s hands in 2004, was fitted with wets in deference to Sydney’s ‘moody weather’ on the day.
Webber’s two seasons with Williams were not especially successful ones although 2005, 10th in the Drivers Championship, 3rd place at Monaco his best was better than 2006 when he was 14th in the standings. The move to the nascent Red Bull team the following year was the critical move to get into an ultimately race-winning team/car. And some celebrated duels with ‘enfant-terrible’ teammate Sebastian Vettel!
Giancarlo Fisichella won the 2005 AGP, confirming the renaissance of Renault as a team, teammate Fernando Alonso won the first of his World Championships in 2005 in the 3 litre V10 Renault R25. Mark Webber qualified 3rd and finished 5th at Albert Park in a good start to the season.
YouTube Footage…
Happy chappy prior to the start of the 2005 season. I always thought Williams and Webber could have and should have achieved more, the problem was the team not MW, Williams having a fall-off in competitiveness at the time. A pity. Sydneysiders may know this spot, photo taken from the Rotunda at Observatory Hill Park looking North. Webbo would have had to elbow aside a couple of wedding groups which are booked solidly back to back for ‘happy snaps’ in the warmer months. Its my old neighbourhood, i lived there for 9 years,.The Rocks, Millers Point, Barangaroo, Observatory Hill and Sydney Observatory itself all worth a good look on foot.
Photo Credits…fullboost.com
primotipo... 
Mark Webber will be remembered as a great Aussie racer (yes, I know there is still much more to come). Bob Carr on the other hand, is and will be always remembered, as a c@$t.
Thumbs up, great website.
Let’s start a movement: Sir Jack Brabham MUST be issued by Australia Post
Cheers Doc,
Suspect there may have been a Jack stamp in the past.
In the pantheon of Australian Pollies Bob Carr is no more incompetent or no bigger ‘Knob Jockey’ than all of them…we have no Jack Brabham amongst any of our politicians, they are all dross regardless if they are from the ‘Tweedledum’ or ‘Tweedledummer’ party!
Mark
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