Webber burns across bridge.

lv619 · 27-02-2005, 07:42 PM

Just saw the end of Ch.9 news with webber driving his F1 car across Sydney harbour bridge. Anyone know if theirs any footage of this on the net yet?
It will be on later tonight on tv no doubt, but I wouldnt mind a copy myself (on computer). :eclipsee_

Anyway, heres an article to keep you all amused, lol...

Quote:

Webber burns across bridge
February 27, 2005 - 5:25PM

Australian Formula One ace Mark Webber fulfilled the fantasy of many a frustrated Sydney motorist when he drove across the Sydney Harbour Bridge while it was devoid of traffic.

As part of a television promotion for next week's Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Webber piloted a 2004 BMW F1 Williams car across the icon five times, supposedly at no more than 90kph.

The 28-year-old from Queanbeyan said he had "not a clue" about what speeds he recorded during his seven minutes on the iconic bridge.

He said it was "pretty eerie" driving on an otherwise empty bridge and he was "quite nervous".

"To go over a bridge, there's a lot of expansion and movement over the years, so to drive a Formula One car over there I was expecting it to be bumpy, but it was a bit bumpier than I expected, but no problem," Webber said.

NSW Premier Bob Carr apologised to motorists for the closure of the Harbour Bridge between 5am and 10am.

"I apologise for the inconvenience that some motorists will suffer, but this is an unbelievable opportunity for us," Mr Carr said shortly before Webber's drive.

The premier said pictures of Sydney's major landmarks including the Bridge, the Opera House and the Harbour would be beamed to millions of viewers throughout Asia and Europe.

"It's terrific promotion for a city that's earning a buck out of tourism."

He refused to start any Sydney-Melbourne rivalry, declaring the latter was "entitled to its unimpeachable, unstealable day of glory which the F1 Grand Prix represented".

"Nothing can steal the attention Melbourne gets with this major event, that's Melbourne's, it will stay Melbourne's but my philosophy is if its good for one part of Australia, it's good for the rest of Australia," Mr Carr said.

Webber hinted he would be okay with sixth or seventh place in next week's season-opener and predicted some tough early races for his new employer Williams.

Driving the old Williams and using "very, very hard" tyres, Webber said the exercise was purely promotional and provided no information about his prospects for next week.

Both Webber and Williams boss Frank Williams had previously stated the 2005 car would not be at its quickest for next week's race and the Australian driver had modest expectations of the car's early season performance.

"The opposition we are up against is incredibly strong, but Williams knows that and we will also be a force in the future," Webber said.

"I think the first few races could be a little bit tough for us, we are not hiding away from that, but we've got to be real with ourselves.

"We are setting tough goals for ourselves, there's no point in saying we are happy with sixth and seventh and places like that, that would be okay to get underway.

"But during the course of the season, we can't stay there all year."

A spokeswoman for the Roads and Traffic Authority said no major delays were caused by the five-hour closure of the bridge.

"There was no problems at all," she said.

lv619 · 27-02-2005, 07:45 PM

just found some pics... man that would be awsome to drive across their (in that car, lol).

More here

kiwikid · 27-02-2005, 07:47 PM

how could you restrain yourself to 90k's in an F1 car and an open road?

M14A-Mclaren · 27-02-2005, 07:51 PM

What are those green arrow lights for?

Fab · 27-02-2005, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwikid

how could you restrain yourself to 90k's in an F1 car and an open road?

He was doing more than that when i was watching it.
I think he was doing 150-200km/h.

kiwikid · 27-02-2005, 08:01 PM

he was heard to say that he didnt go much over 90km/h the clipping above states the same and so did the evening news...
not saying your wrong you saw it i didnt...

LUXO_8 · 27-02-2005, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ambrose_1

What are those green arrow lights for?

they have variable lanes, in morning peak hour they open up more lanes for 1 way , then in afternoon peak hour they open up more lanes for the other way.

if you're ever driving there, and the arrow starts flashing, get out of that lane pretty quick... coz it will become a red X and then you will have cars coming head on

M14A-Mclaren · 27-02-2005, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MADNC_8

they have variable lanes, in morning peak hour they open up more lanes for 1 way , then in afternoon peak hour they open up more lanes for the other way.

if you're ever driving there, and the arrow starts flashing, get out of that lane pretty quick... coz it will become a red X and then you will have cars coming head on

Ah that makes sense, sounds similar to what they have on the Auckland bridge I think.

LUXO_8 · 27-02-2005, 08:13 PM

all about relieving conjestion....

3Toed · 27-02-2005, 08:26 PM

Found a clip on another site. It's 32 MB.

http://www.starlyon.com/bugle/F1/webber_bridge_run.avi

LUXO_8 · 27-02-2005, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3Toed

Found a clip on another site. It's 32 MB.

http://www.starlyon.com/bugle/F1/webber_bridge_run.avi

eep @ 32mb

ive exceded my adsl download limit so me thinks ill wait till full speed again before trying to get that

:

lv619 · 27-02-2005, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3Toed

Found a clip on another site. It's 32 MB.

http://www.starlyon.com/bugle/F1/webber_bridge_run.avi

Bloody avi files, lol.

My computer wont let me DL it, so i'll try tomorrow at uni, thanks.

Venomous · 27-02-2005, 08:50 PM

sweet as, thanx dude, downloadin it now, Then we'll find out how fast he went :P

LUXO_8 · 27-02-2005, 08:52 PM

just wondering does it have sound? that'd be cool if it did

Venomous · 27-02-2005, 09:03 PM

Yep got sound, bloody awesome and his going WAY faster then 90 lol, also very high quality, awesome find MADNC_8

paul7v7 · 27-02-2005, 09:08 PM

woohoo downloading now. thanks for the link 3toed.

lv619 · 27-02-2005, 09:28 PM

Just tryed using divX for the clip and it finally works (thank god).

Looks friggen sweet, but I think the Ch.9 footage (at the end of the news) was a little better, ohwell... thanks again 3toed.

Envious · 27-02-2005, 09:30 PM

apparently the reason he couldnt go much faster than 9okm/h because of the joins in the bridge....thats wat they were saying when i watched it this morning....

LUXO_8 · 27-02-2005, 09:36 PM

he said it was heaps bumpier than he'd imagined too... lol

musta been hard on the **** goin over those bumps!

b2tf · 27-02-2005, 09:42 PM

Does anyone else think it was a complete ****?

sleep:

leonbray · 27-02-2005, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by back2thefutura

Does anyone else think it was a complete ****?

sleep:

.. nope what a blast

kiwikid · 27-02-2005, 09:49 PM

think of all the ****ed off people that wanted to use the bridge...

lv619 · 27-02-2005, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by back2thefutura

Does anyone else think it was a complete ****?

sleep:

not every day you see a F1 car going across Sydney harbour bridge... I sort of like those little **** sort of events anyway, what car enthusiest doesnt?

Bring on next wednesday in melbournes CBD i say (another **** event too, lol)... :eclipsee_

Envious · 27-02-2005, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by back2thefutura

Does anyone else think it was a complete ****?

sleep:

dont think it was ****, just think the press built it up to be this huge thing but it was just a couple of laps around the bridge.....still liked it tho...

LUXO_8 · 27-02-2005, 09:57 PM

woulda been totally awesome!

leonbray · 27-02-2005, 10:10 PM

.... we need more excitement like that - am I the only one sick of the politically correct society where you have to be so careful with everything you do .... hell you cant even light up the tyres because of a few idiots who over did it and some more idiots in the media who appear to live in a world totally devoid of common sense

b2tf · 27-02-2005, 10:12 PM

Hey dont get me wrong, it would have been an awesome experience, but it was just all this media hype over what was really nothing more than a 'different' car going over the bridge.

Dez · 27-02-2005, 10:34 PM

shoulda been a ferrari, now that woulda been mad! :P

Dez · 27-02-2005, 10:41 PM

thanks who ever found the clip, great quality!

channel 10 has some HOT news chicks :P

luckily for Williams they didnt blow an engine. lmao :P

"Driving the old Williams and using "very, very hard" tyres, Webber said the exercise was purely promotional and provided no information about his prospects for next week."

that line out of the article is a ****er...luckily they mentioned it...i thought they were getting vital info out of driving up and down the bridge :tosser1:

and he was going faster than 90, but i dont think it was 200km...

MO · 27-02-2005, 11:14 PM

Alright blokes stop wetting your panties....I watched live if I remember correctly he crossed the bridge 8 times..the first pass he got the pit crew to turn him round all passes after that he flick turned.(cold tyres normally used for PR)
As for speed I would guesstimate 120/150 tops the car was raised 100ml above normal ride height to allow for the rough surface and it was bouncing something bad.

Apparently the whole deal was watched by an estimated 300 million ppl worldwide,
apart from PR for the GP it will be used to promote tourism in OZ.