German Car Zone

Sebastien Bourdais - can the Frenchman wow his home crowd?



For the past two seasons the French Grand Prix has been one of few European rounds of the championship without any home-grown talent on the grid. This year, however, the French fans will get the chance to be patriotic once more thanks to Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Bourdais.

A four-time Champ Car champion, Le Mans-born Bourdais has more than enough Gallic credentials to impress the grandstands at Magny-Cours, but can the 29 year-old really deliver in front of his home crowd?

It’s going to be tough. In terms of results, Toro Rosso, currently eighth in the championship, are far from frontrunners. Bourdais has qualified no higher than 15th on the grid and has scored just two of the team’s seven points - and those he was arguably lucky to get, given that his car didn’t actually make the finish, despite his seventh-place classification.

In fact Bourdais has only recorded two other finishes - 15th in Bahrain and 13th at the recent Montreal event - a weekend which Bourdais himself described as ‘the worst of his career’. Recently the Frenchman also had the ignominy of crashing the team’s new car at its first public outing during a multi-team test session in Barcelona, further delaying its race debut.

It’s all a far cry from his glory days as the king of Champ Cars. Of course, Bourdais didn’t expect to be challenging for Grand Prix wins in a Toro Rosso, but even he probably didn’t think his ‘rookie’ season would be quite this tough. Ever since he narrowly missed out to Fernando Alonso for a 2003 Renault race seat, Bourdais has wanted a Formula One drive. And in spite of his slow start, he’s not about to give up on his ambitions any time soon.

At least part of his problem has been an outdated car. Up until last month’s Monaco Grand Prix, Toro Rosso were running a version of their 2007 machine. Since the arrival of the STR3, things have been looking up for the team. That said, it’s been Bourdais’ team mate, Sebastian Vettel, who has made the most of the new car, the young German scoring four points in Monte Carlo, followed by another in Canada.

Vettel may be nine years younger than Bourdais, but he started the season with eight Grand Prix starts already under his belt - a difference more telling than many had predicted, given his team mate’s considerable racing pedigree. In the era of Hamilton (23), Kubica (23) and Rosberg (22), Bourdais’ Formula One education has come relatively late - and at 29 it seems it’s never too late to learn.

At least he won’t have to learn the circuit for his home event. Unlike some of the other venues on the Formula One calendar, he has raced at Magny-Cours before, albeit in Formula 3000. He tested the team’s French set-up in testing last week and qualifying at the rural circuit is always notoriously close, which may or may not be to his advantage. Plus there’s that element of je ne sais quoi that always comes with a partisan crowd willing you on. With Vettel on the ascendancy again after his difficult start to the season, Bourdais could really do with springing a surprise. Magny-Cours might just be the place to do it.

Villeneuve considering F1 return

Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve insists he is open to rekindling his formula one career.
Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve insists he is open to rekindling his Formula One career.

On his visit to the Montreal paddock two weeks ago, the French Canadian played down any suggestion of a possible bid to return to the grid.
But after finishing second at Le Mans last weekend, the 37-year-old - world champion in 1997 - told an Italian magazine that he would not totally rule out making a comeback.
"I'm open to the idea, certainly with the new technical situation," Villeneuve, who was released by BMW-Sauber during the 2006 season, is quoted as saying by Autosprint.
"To be honest, I have no idea if it would be possible.
"I have never given up hope of re-entering F1. I have driven in some other series, but that was only because there were no vacant seats in F1."
"If the opportunity would occur, certainly with the new regulations, I would love to get back to work," the veteran of 165 grands prix and 11 wins added.
F1-Live / Eurosport

Hoping for another win () or at least podium.

well, JV can forget about returning. the new era now is all about young blood.

guys, whats your predictions? well, i smell a Ferrari 1-2, with Kubik 3rd, and Nick 4th.

if Hammi's lucky, he'll get a point.

Although Hamilton will most likely qualify 1st or 2nd it will be a pretty boring race with the red distancing themselves from everyone else. They were very strong there last year and will most likely be so this year as well. BMW will off course take 3rd and 4th, that is unless Heikki doesn't surprise anyone. Hamilton will most definitely score points finishing behind all the top car.

Rain has been predicted for quali. If it rains on sunday Hamilton will be delighted since it would turn the race into a lottery.

Hamilton will have to be careful picking his way through the wet race cause he will start from the mid field at least.

True, but the chances of a rainy race a'la Monaco is high a unlikely. As for Hammy, don't expect him to qualify high up on the ladder. He is going to be on a different strategy than everyone else. For Lewis, Mclaren are aiming at a 3rd or 4th point finish. Up until the first corner he will likely leap frog at least 3-5 cars. What's going to be in front of him after that are people like Truli, Alonso, Webber, Heikki, Heidfeld and other guys who are not easy to over take.

Here are Hamilton's possibilities as far as strategy goes:



Featherweight
This is the strategy he went for in Turkey. The car wasn't 100% perfect so drove lighter than Nicole Richie on a tricycle. In that way he qualified high up and the low weight even made him so quick that he could overtake Massa.

+
*Can overtake many car very quickly and in that way advance up on the grid.
*Can qualify high.
*Constant supply of fresh tires.


-
*One extra pit stop than everyone else is risky int he case that something goes wrong.


One stopper
This is strategy most teams and drivers go for when they haven't qualified well or will start down the far end of the midfield.

+
*Easy and calm strategy.

-
*Hammy has a very aggressive driving style and there is no way he could make soft tires last half a race.
*The car is very heavy making overtaking difficult from the get go, while wearing more on the tires at the same time.
*Not optimal if you're aiming to climb up the grid rapidly.

Looks like Hamilton and Kimi are already friends again, stepping out of Ferrari motor home together.

Great pics, 'the guys coming to work' the only thing missing is a registration clock
I hupe Kubica will score some good points here, he isn't to far of in the first test runs and we all know he's real fast, maybe a second place is possible. When the others don't decide to ga crashing into eachother that is

Nakajima should get some sleep.