FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[McLaren Fan]

From autosport.com:

Bourdais wants a car that suits his style

By Jonathan Noble Thursday, September 11th 2008, 08:43 GMT

Sebastien Bourdais thinks it is only worth for Scuderia Toro Rosso to hand him a new Formula One contract for 2009 if they are sure they can give him a car he can work with.

The Frenchman has struggled for most of the season with the handling characteristics of the STR3, which has low-speed oversteer and high-speed understeer that he does not like.

And although his recent performances in Valencia and Spa-Francorchamps have boosted his hopes of securing a second season in F1, he still thinks it only worth him carrying on if has the chance to show his full potential in the sport.

"Obviously I would like to stay, but it all depends on what the expectations are," said Bourdais, who came close to a podium finish in Belgium. "If their (Toro Rosso's) expectations are for me to adapt to a car I don't like, then I don't think it's a good idea to keep me.

"If they believe in my potential and my perception of things, which I personally believe can lead to an even better car because it has always been the way I function, then yes, we should definitely give it a try, keep on working and make it better."

Bourdais said his performance in Belgium, where he topped the times in Q1 and ran well in the race, does at least provide some proof of what he is capable of when the car is to his liking.

He confesses that the new aerodynamic package introduced on the STR3 at the French Grand Prix has made the car pretty undriveable for him.

When asked if he felt his performance in Belgium eased the pressure on him over next year's seat, he said: "I have felt really s*** to be honest since Magny-Cours, not because I got kicked by my teammate because he is stronger is stronger, but I am convinced I am not any slower than Sebastian in a car where I am comfortable.

"It is just if I'm not comfortable then I am going to get kicked quite clearly. So if Spa eases the pressure off I don't know.

"It will ease not much but for sure I will feel more comfortable that the reason why I don't perform well in this car was understood and accepted, and then maybe fixed later on. For sure if I am judged upon my performance on this car where I am a shadow of myself then it is just frustrating.

"It is not pressure or anything, it is plain frustrating. I didn't think it was going to be like what has happened. If I had known it would be the drag to drive the car weekend after weekend, where I can't drive it, then let's face it, what is the point? I am useless.

"If you end up where you are a driver and you can't complain, where there is nothing you can do other than drive, then I am just doing half my job. I have never really been good at doing half my job.

"People say, 'oh he is bitching, he is never happy, he is doing this or doing that' then at the end of the day - who cares? Nobody cares. The truth is they only want results. I know why things are happening and if people want to know why, then here is the explanation. I only feel good when I do my job."

[KyrosV]

I like seb bourdais, hes done well. possibly not as well as you would expect to be 4 times champion in champ cars but better than most rookies. with another year maybe he will shine like Vettel. and hopefully push up the ranks of F1...

[f1maniac95]

I think he should stay at Torro Rosso for at least another year so he can gain some more experience and hopefully move up to a higher team or if Torro Rosso keep getting better then he could stay there.

[7UpJordan]

I really hope he stays, if that performance in Belgium and also having been faster than Schumi's protege all weekend doesn't count towards his race seat, what will?

[f1ea]

Bourdais may not have been a rookie sensation, but he's certainly not been terrible. He's done really good in sone races and should bring Toro Rojo some nice feedback next yr with slicks.

I say he deserves a seat for sure.

[McLaren Fan]

Bourdais may not have been a rookie sensation, but he's certainly not been terrible. He's done really good in sone races and should bring Toro Rojo some nice feedback next yr with slicks.

I say he deserves a seat for sure.

Slicks and less aerodynamic junk on the cars next season should do him the world of good. Not only that, he'll have got used to radically different handling qualities between Chump... Champ Cars and Formula One cars.

[Rivelution]

Renault boss Flavio Briatore says his team will not be signing Toro Rosso driver Sebastien Bourdais as he is 'too old'.

The 29-year-old Frenchman has not signed a new contract with the Toro Rosso team and his future in Formula One is looking uncertain as a result.
The Renault boss has never been afraid to speak his mind and with current drivers former double world champion Fernando Alonso (27) and Nelson Piquet Jr (23) doing well in the business end of the season, he is unlikely to be looking for a replacement.

[texasmr2]

I'm quite happy with that because their are what I consider better teams for Seabass to go to. I'm not saying screw Renault but screw Flavio's arrogant, pompous, self righteous bunghole.

[Rivelution]

screw Flavio's arrogant, pompous, self righteous bunghole.

Couldnt have said it better!


Thats pathetic, 'too young?' I thought Formula 1 was where men raced, not boys.

[KyrosV]

Bourdais will perform next year, Im sure of it. Hes had a good season this year but he just didnt live up to the expectations of being a 4 times champ car winner. but next year with a little bit more luck than this year, he will be plucking at the points.

[al4x]

hes better thaan NP, i dont think hes to old, i mean, alonso will have left renult by the time hes 29 anyway, so another team will habe him when hes that old

[emma]

I really hope Bordais gets to keep his seat. There have been a few signs this season where shown he's capable of better results than he tends to end up with. From memory, he's been relatively good in most qualifying sessions this last half of the season and he's got some OK results. If it wasn't for Vettel showing everyone up and performing so well in the other Toro Rosso (not that I'm complaining about that ), his performances might seem better than they do at the moment.

And as a side note - who cares how old a driver is as long as they're GOOD?

[McLaren Fan]

...and Nelson Piquet Jr (23) doing well in the business end of the season...

In terms of the decision Toro Rosso have yet to make, they need to hurry up. Bourdais has some offers from US racing series and they won't be there indefinitely. If Toro Rosso take too long to decide, Bourdais may just leave Formula One, otherwise he could be without a drive next season, not just in Formula One, but in any racing series.

[f1maniac95]

I think Bourdais definately deserves his seat he is not to far of Vettel's pace and next year he might help Torro Rosso from falling back too much.

[csrracer]

He may well fare better with the slicks and reduced aero next season as the cars will be a bit closer to what he raced with in CART - but then again, he may just simply be a slower driver that most F1 drivers and just had no competition in CART.

True. And there are also question marks over the standard of racing in the US. Bourdais may have been good in Champ Cars which will be more similar to the Formula One cars of next season, but could Formula One drivers not just be better than him nevertheless? When Ayrton Senna drove a Penske Champ Car or Indy Car for the first time in late 1992, within half a dozen laps or so he was over two seconds quicker than the team's usual and fairly successful driver. Then, Nigel Mansell left Formula One in 1992 as World Champion and won the CART World Series in 1993.

Yes but lets not forget Jacques Villeneuve, he came over as a Cart champion and Indy 500 winner and almost won WDC in his rookie season, If Williams let him run his own car set up instead of Hills, for the 1st few races, he may have even won in his rookie year as he did in his second season.