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AT&T Williams
returned to Moscow on Sunday 19 July for the second successive Moscow City
Racing event to take part in the Russian capital. Together with McLaren and
Red Bull and a variety of other high octane bikes and cars, the team once
again stormed the streets of one of the most historic cities in the world as
Kazuki Nakajima drove his 2007 FW29 on several demonstration runs around the
4.5km temporary street circuit. The spectacular backdrop incorporated
numerous iconic landmarks including the Kremlin, Red Square and St Basil’s
cathedral.
This
year’s Moscow City Racing surpassed the success of its debut year with this
year’s event proving even more popular among the Russian fans as spectators
lined the streets and packed the grandstand to witness one of the most
spectacular motorsport demonstrations of the year. Following in Nico
Rosberg’s tyre treads who represented the team last year in Moscow, Kazuki
Nakajima covered seven laps of the track in the 2007 FW29, wowing the crowd
with roaring engines, screeching rubber while closing the show with some
spectular doughnuts and burn outs.
The team also used the opportunity to promote the forthcoming Global
Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, which Russia will host for the very
first time in November this year. The team’s race car carried the
conference’s identity as part of AT&T Williams race car livery, together
with the Make Roads Safe logo.
Williams F1 has identified road safety as one of three areas where it can
and will contribute more broadly to society. The team is working closely
with the FIA Foundation and the Commission for Global Road Safety to help
communicate and motivate road safety initiatives. The FIA Foundation,
originally endowed by the FIA with $300 million from its Formula One
television rights, has been a prime mover in calling for concerted and
pan-national action on road safety through its Make Roads Safe campaign.
Formula One offers many examples of good practice in relation to injury
prevention. Despite driving at high speed and in a competitive context,
accidents and injuries in Formula One are by comparison, rare, thanks to a
highly developed preventative safety environment.
Of
the event, Kazuki commented, “It was a really great experience to be in
Moscow, and fantastic to see that lots of people came to watch us. I think
that shows a lot of potential for a future Grand Prix to be hosted by
Russia. I want to thank everyone who made this event possible, it’s
definitely something I’ll never forget.”
Frank Williams, Team Principal of the AT&T Williams team who was in Moscow
for the demonstration, said, “It was a pleasure to be back in Moscow. The
circuit is very good for its purpose in exposing the speed, noise and fury
of Formula One cars. To be able to run our cars alongside the Kremlin is a
unique and unforgettable experience and this is an outstanding achievement
for Moscow and all of its citizens. This was the second year that the team
has performed for the benefit of the Russian public in Moscow and we hope we
will be invited back next year.” |