F1 outcast Bourdais to Superleague Formula

[Giuseppe F1]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78253


Bourdais to finish season with Sevilla

By Steven English
Wednesday, September 2nd 2009, 09:08 GMT


Sebastien BourdaisSebastien Bourdais will contest the final three rounds of the Superleague Formula for Spanish club FC Sevilla, starting at Estoril this weekend.

The 30-year-old Frenchman, who was released by Scuderia Toro Rosso after this year's German Grand Prix, sampled the 750bhp Superleague car in testing at Magny-Cours last week ahead of his debut in Portugal.

"For a driver, Superleague is the best alternative to F1. Today, it's the only other championship in Europe to offer a driver the possibility of racing single seaters at a high, professional level," said Bourdais.

"My desire is evidently to be competitive straight away at Estoril. I only did a few laps in the car and the team is quite new to the championship, so to win as soon as my first race will not be easy for sure. I also want to have fun, which hasn't often been the case for me during this last year."

The Frenchman, who finished second at Le Mans this year for Peugeot, says Superleague's qualifying and race format will make driving in the series feel more like Champ Car, in which he won four consecutive titles, than F1.

"I will discover a qualifying system which is different to what I've been used to as it requires a very tactical approach," he said. "As far as the three races go, the totally reversed grid for the second reminds me of Formula Campus.

"This creates a lot of overtaking opportunities which improves the overall show on track, especially if the objective is to secure a place in the super final. To some degree though, Superleague Formula reminds me of racing in Champ Car."

Bourdais will be the fourth ex-F1 driver racing in Superleague at Estoril, along with Giorgio Pantano, Antonio Pizzonia and Enrique Bernoldi.

Superleague president Alex Andreu added: "Superleague Formula is very happy and very proud to welcome a driver with as many titles as Sebastien Bourdais. Our objective is to attract the best professional drivers to our series. Giorgio Pantano, Antonio Pizzonia and today Sebastien Bourdais are among these.

"We're also hopeful that others will join us shortly. The more drivers we have of their calibre, the more Superleague will carve its rightful place in the modern motorsport landscape, as well as offering a quality show to its fans."

[gloomyDAY]

Sucker.

[ClarkFan]

Soon he will be living under bridges, eating beans out of the can and drinking Sterno......

Or even worse, driving in the IRL!

:p

ClarkFan

[Alfica]

Not a good idea really.. This championship has almost the same reputation as A1GP - for F1 losers. He would have to win all races in whole year for me to say "Ok, he's a good driver". Just look at the names in this series.. And there is the world's stupidest points scoring system: 22 drivers get points, even though there arent 22 drivers! First gets 50, second 45. It's like if we had 10 pts for winner and 9 pts for second in F1. :confused:

But he's a best driver there, which wasnt exactly the feeling he had in F1...

[Pat Wiatrowski]

I hope he does great! Better than the irl cheesegrater, IMO.

[philipbain]

I would love to see Bourdais back in IRL, he bossed champcar for 4 years, he would be a major contender in IRL, its a much better option than Super League or A1GP.

[ClarkFan]

I would love to see Bourdais back in IRL, he bossed champcar for 4 years, he would be a major contender in IRL, its a much better option than Super League or A1GP.
Despite my :p post, I think the IRL is actually his best destination now. The problem is the finances of the IRL - new driver additions have been pay drivers or old mainstays of the league (Franchitti). Bourdais won't bring money unless there is some sort of financial settlement from STR/Red Bull, so that limits the possible seats he could occupy.

ClarkFan

[keysersoze]

Race drivers race--period. Only spectator snobs think other forms of racing are beneath them or inferior.

Bourdais reportedly was considering NASCAR before his F1 opportunity became available.

Montoya can probably still get a ride in F1 but he says he LIKES racing stock cars. He's respectable, too, but not dominant.

M. Schumacher doesn't think it's beneath him--he's just too worried about high speeds and walls nearby. Can't blame him.

Scott Sharp went from Indycars to ALMS and said that his ALMS ride was the best car he'd ever driven. ALMS--which top-line driver in his prime goes there?

Ole Seabass did a damn good job and has had a damn good career. I hate it that he's referred to by this site's editors as an "F1 reject."

[wedge]

How the mighty (in a CCWS sense) have fallen

[Saint Devote]

F1 "outcasts" nobody. It is the highest level of racing and the reason he left is because he just did not meet expectations of Torro Rosso and no other team was willing to hire him.

He can now go and commisserate with the long list if former CART champions that could not make the f1 grade either.

Montoya left f1 because Ron Dennis decided to fire him and he realized that he would never be in line for another top level drive.

Does he really not want to go to f1 - I doubt that no matter what he says because everytime he is interviewed and asked about f1 he attacks it in a passive but definite way.

He is driving around in a very heavy car that compared to f1 is unresponsive and the series has allowed him to become a little fatty.

Montoya was good and capable but he was always too erratic.

When a driver moves from f1 to any other series it is a step down.

To write that Schumacher is essentially afraid of the walls etc of American racing for example is just plain ridiculous. That he was racing a MOTOR CYCLE [and crashed at 149mph injuring himself] illustrates the nonsense of Schumacher being skittish besides anything else.

I might add that why would a successful retired f1 driver go an race in the IndyCar series? That alone would be a signal that he needed mental help.

[call_me_andrew]

F1 "outcasts" nobody. It is the highest level of racing and the reason he left is because he just did not meet expectations of Torro Rosso and no other team was willing to hire him.

How do you define "outcast"?


Montoya left f1 because Ron Dennis decided to fire him and he realized that he would never be in line for another top level drive.

Montoya was planning on leaving F1 months before Dennis fired him. Do you really think Chip Ganassi is stupid enough to sign a driver with no stock car expierience just because he became available? Juan had offeres from Red Bull and (surprisingly) Williams to stay in F1, but turned them down.

[truefan72]

Bourdias has a pretty good chance of making it back into F1 next year, there are 6 new seats and possibly 7 available and I think he would get a look from some

[Tazio]

Ba bye!
Like later dude!
Goons go home and leave your women!

[ArrowsFA1]

He's a racer who wants to race. Perhaps Superleague is his only option to be able to do that right now.

[BeansBeansBeans]

It is something of a coup for Superleague Formula. A bit of step down for Bourdais too but as others have said he just wants to race. Nothing wrong with that at all.

[Sonic]

If I were Seabass i'd be getting myself on a plane and start pimping myself to every IRL team before everyone forgets who he is.

With Will Power out perhaps there is a part time berth at Penske?

[jimakos]

If I were Seabass i'd be getting myself on a plane and start pimping myself to every IRL team before everyone forgets who he is.

With Will Power out perhaps there is a part time berth at Penske?

:rotflmao:
......... :rotflmao: ...........

[Saint Devote]

How do you define "outcast"?



Montoya was planning on leaving F1 months before Dennis fired him. Do you really think Chip Ganassi is stupid enough to sign a driver with no stock car expierience just because he became available? Juan had offeres from Red Bull and (surprisingly) Williams to stay in F1, but turned them down.

An outcast is someone that is worthy of inclusion - Bourdais was provided 2 seasons by Torro Rosso to show he could - he could not.

Montoya drove for Chip Ganassi and won the Indy 500 before he went to f1 - and Ganassi knows that topline f1 driver - as Montoya was at one time - can do well in any form of racing.

Why would he have gone to Red Bull or Williams - if what you say is accurate - he had just been booted from Mclaren. From that point it was downward in 2006. Where could he go? Ferrari? I don't thnk so.

[Saint Devote]

It is something of a coup for Superleague Formula. A bit of step down for Bourdais too but as others have said he just wants to race. Nothing wrong with that at all.

I agree.

Just that he has not qualified any better in SL for tomorrows race than he did in f1! :eek:

[Saint Devote]

If I were Seabass i'd be getting myself on a plane and start pimping myself to every IRL team before everyone forgets who he is.

With Will Power out perhaps there is a part time berth at Penske?

I think that is the worst move he could make. Return after winning four championships in the US and doing the same again - whats the point?

He could of course try for the Indy 500 and do the big ovals to prepare...

But anyway, if you recall, his wife did not like living in the United States so I am sure that wanting to raise their kids outside of France is a non-starter to say the least.

I think Sebastien should try for the DTM or secure a permanent ride in LM1 with Peugot. Of course he should also try out for one of the new teams - maybe they will design a car that will suit him better than the TR did.

[call_me_andrew]

Why would he have gone to Red Bull or Williams - if what you say is accurate - he had just been booted from Mclaren. From that point it was downward in 2006. Where could he go? Ferrari? I don't thnk so.

The point is that it gave him the opportunity to stay in F1. McLaren wasn't exactly smelling of roses in 2006. They didn't win a single race.

But Montoya went to Ganassi's team, and between 2003 and 2006, Ganassi hadn't won a race. So it's safe to say that Juan likes a challenge.

Bourdais won four championships, but they were all late in the split when most of the talent pool had moved to the IRL.

[shazbot]

At least he will be familar in the car - it's just a DP-01 Champ Car chassis! These cars are not that bad actually with aero performance similar to the Champ Car, if not quite the power. Many thought this series would never get off the ground, but give them credit it's lasted longer than the 'Future of Racing' - DP-01 Champ Car. It's a prettier looking car as well.

[Saint Devote]

Not a good idea really.. This championship has almost the same reputation as A1GP - for F1 losers. He would have to win all races in whole year for me to say "Ok, he's a good driver". Just look at the names in this series.. And there is the world's stupidest points scoring system: 22 drivers get points, even though there arent 22 drivers! First gets 50, second 45. It's like if we had 10 pts for winner and 9 pts for second in F1. :confused:

But he's a best driver there, which wasnt exactly the feeling he had in F1...

How do you arrive at the conclusion that A1GP is a series for f1 "losers"? Most of the drivers have never even been in an f1 car, many of the drivers do not have the financial muscle to change that situation and one, such as Neel Jani has only ever been the third driver for a while.

Although Neel Jani's father is one of a consortium of investors looking at buying the soon to be defunct Sauber entity. Watch this space......!

[Saint Devote]

The point is that it gave him the opportunity to stay in F1. McLaren wasn't exactly smelling of roses in 2006. They didn't win a single race.

But Montoya went to Ganassi's team, and between 2003 and 2006, Ganassi hadn't won a race. So it's safe to say that Juan likes a challenge.

Bourdais won four championships, but they were all late in the split when most of the talent pool had moved to the IRL.

I do agree with you to the extent that Montoya is a driver than wins for a team. At the time I did wonder in frustration why he left f1 completely and I still do not understand his motivation which is why I state what I did.

I remember Montoya from his early days in f3000 where he would either be top of the class or cause havoc.

Being in NASCAR has to be significantly frustrating for a driver that on his day beat the best in the world at Monte Carlo and Monza and was a driver never fazed by a teammate.

Because NASCAR depends less on the driver than on the car - on ability Montoya is still way ahead than other than a handful of really good drivers in NASCAR. Ganassi must find a way to give him a great car and then he will win often.

[edv]

Results of Super Final from Estoril (and 100,000 Euros):

Pos Driver Team Time
1. S.Bourdais Sevilla FC 7:31.629
2. E.Guerrieri Olympiacos + 1.270
3. Adrian Valles Liverpool + 5.584
4. Yelmer Buurman Anderlecht + 6.611
5. Antonio Pizzonia Corinthians + 1 Lap
6. Giorgio Pantano AC Milan + 3 Laps

[Nikki Katz]

Good for Bourdais, though the Superleague rules are really stupid - why would you intentionally have a race with only 6 cars???

[Saint Devote]

Happy for SeBas :-]

First race since Torro Rosso - winning at Estoril this afternoon is good. He did not qualify well but raced well.

The new F1 teams should really consider him. Problem is of course is unlike previous era's, unless the cars and tyres suit a driver's style, it can make him look pretty bad in f1.

And the E100,000 he won should also come in handy!

[Saint Devote]

Good for Bourdais, though the Superleague rules are really stupid - why would you intentionally have a race with only 6 cars???

Same reason in racing there are: compulsory pit stops; there is no tyre competition; reverse grids and a host of other ridiculous rules that permeate motor racing today.

[call_me_andrew]

I do agree with you to the extent that Montoya is a driver than wins for a team. At the time I did wonder in frustration why he left f1 completely and I still do not understand his motivation which is why I state what I did.

Because NASCAR depends less on the driver than on the car - on ability Montoya is still way ahead than other than a handful of really good drivers in NASCAR. Ganassi must find a way to give him a great car and then he will win often.

A lot of guys get tired of the politics in F1. Montoya just decided that he'd rather take a cut in pay than keep dealing with them.

NASCAR has handicapped all the cars to the point where the driver is the only distinguishing factor. Ganassi runs his IRL team well, but his NASCAR team is a joke. They're like Ferrari before Michael Schumacher.

[ArrowsFA1]

Being in NASCAR has to be significantly frustrating for a driver that on his day beat the best in the world at Monte Carlo and Monza and was a driver never fazed by a teammate.
Watching him in NASCAR this year Juan doesn't seem to be too frustrated. He might not have got a win in 2009, but his team now look to be contenders most weekends.

I've heard it said that it can take 3yrs for a driver to find his way around NASCAR, and this is Juan's third full season.

[longisland]

[quote="I might add that why would a successful retired f1 driver go an race in the IndyCar series? That alone would be a signal that he needed mental help.[/QUOTE"]

Nigel Mansell?