|
Circular Quay in Sydney today reverberated with the sound of Jaguar's F1 race
car as part of Jaguar Racing's lead-up to the Australian Grand Prix in
Melbourne. Behind the wheel was Jaguar Racing's number one driver Australian
Mark Webber who led the action in the Pit Stop Challenge.
The Pit Stop Challenge saw 10 finalists, recruited through Channel 10's
Sports Tonight and Sydney's Triple M radio competing for a unique opportunity to
join Jaguar Racing's pit crew for the Australian Grand Prix.
The winner will be given access to Jaguar Racing's garages for the length of
the Australian Grand Prix and experience first hand the adrenalin of race day.
The Pit Stop Challenge started off with the roar of Jaguar's F1 engine as
Mark Webber thrilled the crowd as the engine screamed and smoke streamed from
the tyres of the Jaguar R4, the car Webber drove in the 2003 F1 season. This
action took place in front of the dramatic backdrop of Sydney's beautiful
harbour foreshore and the city's iconic Sydney Opera House.
Mark then pulled into the special Pit Stop Arena set up for the event to
allow the 10 finalists each to change a tyre on the car – they experienced
similar pressure faced by the Jaguar pit crew each race. Each finalists used the
wheel gun to release the first wheel, removed the old tyre and replace it with a
new one, the finalist then had to reattach the wheel, also ensuring the safety
bracket was in place before raising their hand indicating it was safe for Webber
to return to the track. Two finalists competed simultaneously, racing head to
head on either side of the vehicle.
The finalists were competing for a spot with the Jaguar team in the pits at
the Australian Grand Prix this weekend (March 4-7).
The winner was 33 year-old Lino Parrattino from Carringbah in Sydney who
recorded the fastest time in the final of 6.2 seconds – an impressive time given
that the professionals do it in around 4 seconds.
He will now head to Melbourne and get to eat, sleep and travel with the crew
spending time with each of the different divisions in the garage and see the
race from one of the best vantage spots that money just can't buy.
Lino was ecstatic about his win and ready to enjoy the Australian Grand Prix
experience and the unique opportunity of spending the time with the Jaguar
racing team.
The F1 car's engine, a Cosworth V10 runs at 18,000 rpm and can reach 192 kph
in 5.25 seconds.
Webber is the only Australian driver in the elite F1 field and the 2004
season is his second year racing with Jaguar, his third in Formula 1. The
27-year-old Webber now lives in the UK but returns to his hometown of
Queanbeyan, New South Wales as much as his busy schedule allows.
Webber hopes that this year the Jaguar team will have the opportunity to move
forward and get some points on the board early in the season.
"I would love to see my first podium but I wouldn't be totally distraught if
it didn't happen. Basically we need to see good progression and grab more points
than we did in 2003," Webber said.
Webber is joined at Jaguar Racing this year by F1 rookie 21-year-old
Christian Klien from Austria.
The Pit Stop Challenge is supported by Jaguar Racing sponsors Becks and
HSBC
|
