F1 arrives at Melbourne (pictures)
26th March 2009, 11:53 by Keith Collantine 45 Comments »
Mark Webber's been playing on the beach
The F1 drivers have been kept busy since they arrived in Melbourne: playing football, poker training, and building F1 cars out of sand.
Here’s a selection of pictures showing what some of the drivers and teams have been up to in Australia. Those ones of Nick Heidfeld at Melbourne zoo are just begging for a comedy caption…
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- Tadashi Yamashina points to a thank you message on his car
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- Jarno Trulli at a photo call
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- Jarno Trulli signs autographs
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- Timo Glock training
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- Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli with children from Camp Quality
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- Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli with children from Camp Quality
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- Sebastien Buemi signs autographs
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- Sebastien Buemi signs autographs
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- Sebastien Buemi signs autographs
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- Sebastien Buemi signs autographs
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- Sebastien Bourdais signs autographs
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- Sebastian Vettel with Aussie Rules players Brendan Fevola and Jarrod Walte
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- Sebastian Vettel with Aussie Rules player Brendan Fevola
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- Sebastian Vettel with Aussie Rules players Brendan Fevola and Jarrod Walte
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- Sebastian Vettel talks to the press
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- Toro Rosso’s Franz Tost
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- The Toro Rosso drivers play tennis
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- The Toro Rosso drivers play tennis
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- The Toro Rosso drivers play tennis
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- The Toro Rosso drivers play tennis
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- The Toro Rosso drivers play tennis
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- The Toro Rosso drivers play tennis
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- The Toro Rosso drivers play tennis
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- Red Bull build a sand F1 car at Kilda beach
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- Red Bull build a sand F1 car at Kilda beach
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- Red Bull build a sand F1 car at Kilda beach
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- Red Bull build a sand F1 car at Kilda beach
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- Red Bull build a sand F1 car at Kilda beach
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- Red Bull build a sand F1 car at Kilda beach
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- Mark Webber talks to the press
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- Mark Webber talks to the press
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- Mark Webber at his home Grand Prix
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- Mark Webber in discussion with Christian Horner
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- Timo Glock training
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- Timo Glock in Melbourne
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- Timo Glock in a Toyota Hilux stunt truck at Calder Park
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- Timo Glock in a Toyota Hilux stunt truck at Calder Park
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- Timo Glock in a Toyota Hilux stunt truck at Calder Park
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- Timo Glock in a Toyota Hilux stunt truck at Calder Park
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- Timo Glock in a Toyota Hilux stunt truck at Calder Park
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- Timo Glock at a photo call
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- Timo Glock signs autographs
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- Timo Glock at the celebrity poker match
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- Timo Glock, Robert Kubica and Giancarlo Fisichella at the celebrity poker match
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- Giancarlo Fisichella at the celebrity poker match
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- Giancarlo Fisichella at the celebrity poker match
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- Adrian Sutil at Melbourne Zoo
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- Adrian Sutil with a skater at St Kilda beach
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- Adrian Sutil with skaters at St Kilda beach
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- The Force India drivers with skaters at St Kilda beach
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- Force India drivers in Melbourne
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- Force India drivers in Melbourne
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- Adrian Sutil in his new Force India outfit
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- Giancarlo Fisichella in his new Force India outfit
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- Adrian Sutil meets the press
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- Adrian Sutil at Melbourne Zoo
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- Adrian Sutil at Melbourne Zoo
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- Nick Heidfeld at Melbourne Zoo
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- Nick Heidfeld at Melbourne Zoo
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- Nick Heidfeld at Melbourne Zoo
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- Nick Heidfeld at Melbourne Zoo
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- Nick Heidfeld at Melbourne Zoo
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- Nick Heidfeld at Melbourne Zoo
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- Nick Heidfeld at Melbourne Zoo
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- Nick Heidfeld training
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- BMW in Federation Square, Melbourne
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- BMW in Federation Square, Melbourne
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- BMW in Federation Square, Melbourne
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- Nick Heidfeld training
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- Nick Heidfeld training
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- BMW drivers at St Kilda beach
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- BMW drivers at St Kilda beach
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- BMW drivers at St Kilda beach
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- BMW drivers at St Kilda beach
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- Brawn GP get ready for their first Grand Prix
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- The Brawn GP team walk the Melbourne track
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- Brawn GP put the stickers of new sponsor Henri Lloyd on their car
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- Brawn GP set up shop
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- Fernando Alonso shows off his football skills
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- Alonso gets a shirt from Aussie Rules player Danny Allsopp
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- Fernando Alonso shows off his football skills
Images (C) Toyota F1 World, Brawn GP, Getty Images, Force India F1 Team, BMW ag, Renault / LAT
todd said on 26th March 2009, 12:06
great photos, i just bought a RBR shirt – so hopefully they can get some more points and a win somewhere this year
ajokay said on 26th March 2009, 12:28
“The Brawn GP team walk the Melbourne track”
Reservoir Dogs, much?
Damon said on 26th March 2009, 12:48
Hah, Nick Heidfeld looks like a 12-year-old boy with a beard. He’s a small Chuck Norris.
Fer no.65 said on 26th March 2009, 12:58
can i just say…
Nice skater
Sush Meerkat said on 26th March 2009, 13:36
I’m pretty sure the FIA will want words with Webber, those barge boards look a tad on the big side, clearly its giving him an unfair advantage in sand castle building.
Moolander said on 26th March 2009, 13:50
That sand F1 was built with a shovel that goes against the spirit of the rules!
Sush Meerkat said on 26th March 2009, 15:43
Red Bull insiders claim they were sandbagging!
Dougie said on 26th March 2009, 13:52
Virgin sponsors Brawn… official confirmation due tomorrow…
This was I always felt would happen, and its great news from where I am sitting. Quality.
Keith Collantine said on 26th March 2009, 14:04
Thanks Dougie: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2009/03/26/virgin-to-sponsor-brawn-gp/
Dougie said on 26th March 2009, 14:28
’tis a pleasure Keith. It’s not very often that I spot breaking news early.
Gman said on 26th March 2009, 15:52
That shores up much of their future concerns about funding- very good to hear, let’s see what they can do in ’09!
kaushal said on 26th March 2009, 13:53
more images here
Maciek said on 26th March 2009, 14:13
OK, this is one of the problems with F1′s marketing – they basically all look like nerds that have been put into totally awkward situations rife with bad taste – what’s with the casino picture of Fisi, Kubica and Glock smiling awkwardly behind Al Capone and his slow-witted sidekick!?!?!?!? And Sutil with the skaters? Please! I can smell the cheesy all the way here in Montreal. And then there’s Webber and Vettel modeling your grandpa’s leisure clothes on the beach. Sheesh!!!
What F1 needs is some good kick-ass attitude, at least on some of its drivers – it’s a competitive sport full giant egos – it’s not a Disney movie!
Then again, I never can really fathom sport fans – I guess this is what sells.
Phil said on 26th March 2009, 15:03
You’ll notice Kimi isn’t in any of those, he’s a proper old school racer – he’ll probably be up half the night saturday boozing it up
Tom said on 26th March 2009, 15:19
Look at the size of the diffuser on that sand car…that’s got to be illegal!
Williams 4ever said on 26th March 2009, 15:23
Are all these “Corporate PR Events” or any of these part of FOTA initiative to give “General Public” access to the Drivers
Keith Collantine said on 26th March 2009, 15:37
The autograph thing the Toyota drivers were at might be one of the new FOTA initiatives.
Damon said on 26th March 2009, 15:28
@ Maciek
I agree with you on that!
Racing drivers in the US are brave, tough men, who are there to fight. Unforunately, in Europe the marketing people don’t get it, and promote F1 drivers as girly boyband members of some kind.
That’s quite embarrassing.
Keith Collantine said on 26th March 2009, 15:38
Never thought of it that way before, but you’re dead right!
Gman said on 26th March 2009, 18:41
I also agree- no doubt many of the F1 drivers are just as tough and gritty, but the domination of the corporate image when it comes to fan outreach deprives them of the chance to interact in the same capacity as the NASCAR guys.
Sush Meerkat said on 26th March 2009, 15:50
http://uzar.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/sandcastle.jpg
Latest pics confirm the Red Bull offering this year failed FIA sanctioned crash tests.
Keith Collantine said on 26th March 2009, 17:11
Excellent!
StrFerrari4Ever said on 26th March 2009, 15:54
haha very good stuff surprising to see the Brawn Gp car hasnt gt any sponsors on it at the moment just a thought and yes the drivers need a more masculine image
Rob R. said on 26th March 2009, 16:09
Nick looks like he is in an ABBA tribute band