The Queanbeyan man, who currently resides in Buckinghamshire in England, will drive alongside David Coulthard for the Red Bull team this season after leaving Williams F1 at the end of last year.

Webber is one of the quickest drivers on the circuit having out-qualified his team-mates 82 per cent of the time in his 86 Grand Prix events and will provide some real pace this year.

And while the 30-year-old feels the Red Bull car is a little behind some of its competitors at the moment, he believes the slate is wiped clean for all drivers when a new season begins.

"Now we are here in Melbourne we are having to get into the ring, get the gloves off and see where everyone is and that is always the same," he told PA Sport.

"Everyone talks a good game over winter testing but we have got to see what we can do when it all counts."

"We can learn a lot from the first few races, we are behind the eight ball a little bit but we have got a lot of good people to help us improve massively during the season."

Webber will be racing in front of his home fans this weekend and expectations will be high, with the former Minardi driver one of the most talented Australian F1 star for some years.

But Webber insists he is not feeling the pressure of the high hopes laid upon him and will instead concentrate on doing his best on the track.

"People expect quite a bit but I can only do what I can do," he added. "It is another race once I have the helmet on in the car at the end of the day so we will see how I do."

As a circuit, Albert Park is popular amongst many drivers and is seen as an ideal way to start the F1 season.

Last year, the street circuit, renowned for being smooth and a high-speed test for drivers, wasn't used until the third round of the championship due to the Commonwealth games also being held in Melbourne.

But it returns to the opening event of the calendar this weekend, much to the delight of Webber.

"It is a very good circuit. They have done a really good job with it," he said.

"It has obviously been redesigned after the marshal got killed and it is a street circuit which makes it different to a normal race track."

"I really like it here and they have done a good job with what they have got."

In other F1 news retired Formula One great Michael Schumacher believes Ferrari is well placed to win the opening race of the Grand Prix season in Melbourne on Sunday.

After dominating testing in the off-season, the seven-time world champion said the Italian manufacturer was ready for the season to get underway and that good results should be expected.

"I have the feeling that we are very well prepared for the first race and that we should do well," Schumacher told itv-f1.com.

"I cannot wait for the championship to begin as I think it will be very close and exciting."

"Now all I can do is cross my fingers and wish Ferrari the best of luck."

With Kimi Raikkonen brought into replace Schumacher for the 2007 season, Ferrari CEO Jean Todt expects the Finn and Felipe Massa to form a formidable outfit.

"We have been working as hard as ever over the past few months but we will only know what condition we are in after Saturday's qualifying session," Todt said.

"Melbourne will mark a new chapter in the extraordinary history of the Scuderi."

"After 11 years, Michael Schumacher will not be behind the wheel. Now it is the turn of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen to fly the flag."

Sportal