Sebastien Bourdais

Sebastien Bourdais (born the February 28th 1979 with the Mans, in the the Sarthe, France) is a racing driver French. After having gained with four recoveries the North-American championship Field Because, it will carry out in 2008 its beginnings in the championship of the world of Formule 1 within the Scuderia Toro Rosso.

Biography

Plunged in the very young automobile world via his father Patrick who took part in seven editions of the 24 hours of Mans between 1993 and 2005, it starts by making Karting, discipline in which it obtains his first titles: champion of Maine-Brittany league in 1991, 4th of the championship of France juniors the same year, champion of league juniors in 1993.

It passes then by single-seater, where its beginnings are promising and let foresee a strong potential. Vice-champion of Formule Renault in 1997, Sebastien carries out some beautiful performances but is victim of bad luck in the three last races, which costs him the title. After a first year to learn, in 1998, he becomes champion of France of Formule 3 in 1999, before being crowned in Formule 3000 for its third season in the discipline in 2002. It is also pointed out with the 24 hours of Mans with the team Pescarolo Sport.

With the doors of the Formula 1, it is about to engage with the stable Arrows during the summer 2002 but this one gone bankrupt little time afterwards. At the end of the year, it aspires to a post of pilot tester at Renault F1, but the French stable prefers finally its compatriot to him Franck Montagny. After having a time thought of engaging in DTM with Opel, it finally decides to try its chance in the United States, where a convincing test on the layout of Sebring enables him to be recruited by the powerful stable of Champ Because Newman-Haas Racing (codirigée by Carl Haas and actor Paul Newman celebrates it).

The beginnings of Bourdais in this championship are remarkable. Qualified in pole-position for its very first race, it equalizes the performance carried out in 1993 by Nigel Mansell. Particularly powerful, Bourdais empoche three victories during its first season, but too irregular, is not able to fight for the title. It gains however the honorary title of better beginning from the year ( Rookie off the year 2003 ), finishing 4th championship. But in 2004, 2005 and 2006, it dominates the championship and takes down three consecutive championships, an exploit which had not been carried out since Ted Horn (of 1946 with 1948). Bourdais also took part in 2005 in the 500 Miles of Indianapolis (test of the competitor championship IndyCar) but gave up on touchette with two turns of the arrival, obtaining one 12th final place with the classification. It also gained the 12 Hours of Sebring 2006 of category GT2, and, always side endurance, it counts also a victory with the 24 Hours of Spa 2002, like some victories in championship SRWC for sport scars. Lastly, he is the only French to be itself imposed in prestigious IROC, an American competition which gathers the majority of the automobile champions of the last year and who clash on identical cars at the time of certain races Nascar.

The calendar 2007 of the Field Because enables him to make its return to the 24 hours of Mans, where it is engaged at the wheel of the Peugeot 908 n° 8 qu ' it divides with Stephan Sarrazin and Pedro Lamy. It finishes in the second place behind the Audi R10 TDI n°1. In spite of a manifest desire to be of return in 2008 to play the victory, there cannot to date take the option, its priority of it remaining obtaining a wheel in F1.

In spite of its domination in Field Because and whereas the media often gave a report on positive discussions with Mario Theissen, the director of BMW Sauber, the doors of Formula 1 remain closed for Bourdais in 2007 and it remains at Newman-Haas Racing. In December 2006, its new manager Nicolas Todt enables him to obtain three days of test with the Scuderia Toro Rosso. Then, in July 2007, it is again invited to tests deprived on the Belgian circuit of Spa-Francorchamps. These tests prove to be conclusive and the italo-Austrian stable officializes the August 10th its engagement as from the season 2008 of F1.

With 7 victories this season, Sebastien gains the championship 2007 of Field Because as of before last race.

Career

1996 : Championship of France of Formula Renault
1997: Championship of France of Formula Renault ( Vice-champion )
1998: Championship of France of F3
1999: Championship of France of F3 ( Champion )
2000: F3000 with Gauloises Formulated
2001: F3000 with Prejudices
2002: F3000 with Super Nova ( Champion )
2003: CART with Newman-Haas ( 4th of the championship )
2004: Field Because with Newman-Haas ( Champion )
2005: Field Because with Newman-Haas ( Champion )
2006: Field Because with Newman-Haas ( Champion )
2007: Field Because with Newman-Haas-Lanigan ( Champion )
2008: Formula 1 with Toro Rosso

Prize list

Champion of France of Formula 3 in 1999
international Champion of Formula 3000 in 2002
Field Because Rookie off the year in 2003
Second at the 24 hours of Mans 2007
Champion of Field Because into 2004,2005,2006 and 2007

Private life

Sebastien Bourdais married with his partner Claire in May 2006. Among the guests of the ceremony, celebrated in Mans, in particular its owner Paul Newman appeared. The two husbands had their first child (a fore-mentioned girl Emma) in December of the same year.

Deliver

Sebastien Bourdais: exile gaining , foreword of Paul Newman, foreword of Henri Pescarolo - by Laurent-Frederic Bowlful and Henri Suzeau, ED. Apach, 2006,255 p.

External bond

Official site of Sebastien Bourdais

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