Bourdais retires from possible last race
#1
07-12-2009, 04:52 PM
Bourdais retires from possible last race
Formula One news: Bourdais retires from possible last race - GPUpdate.net Formula One
The retirement of Sébastien Bourdais from the German Grand Prix is believed by some in the Formula One paddock to have been the last race of the Frenchman in Formula One, after entering the sport last year. With reserve driver Jaime Alguersuari waiting in the wings, the fate of Bourdais remains to be seen.
With the Frenchman having told reporters on Saturday that his contract will last until the end of the 2009 championship, it was another disappointing day for four-time Champ Car Champion Bourdais. "On the warm-up laps we weren't so happy with the option tyre (softer compound on offer at each race, this weekend being Super Soft) so we decided to start on the prime (harder compound, Medium), which I think was a good call," Bourdais explained.
"But then I began to lose hydraulic pressure and so I lost the power steering, clutch and eventually everything else and so I had to pull in. It's a shame of course because, although we were at the back at the time, I think we had a good strategy, with a heavy fuel load and - even running on primes - we could manage the gap to those ahead of us, staying in touch with them."
Team-mate Sébastien Buemi did finish the race, coming home 16th on his first F1 drive at the Nürburgring. "It was a difficult race, although I had a good start and the opening laps went well," he described. "When we put on the soft tyres at the pit-stop, I suffered with a loss of grip and kept sliding as I struggled to get them up to temperature In the final stint it was the same story - it was not a positive outcome but we will have new updates at the next race and we should be more competitive."
The retirement of Sébastien Bourdais from the German Grand Prix is believed by some in the Formula One paddock to have been the last race of the Frenchman in Formula One, after entering the sport last year. With reserve driver Jaime Alguersuari waiting in the wings, the fate of Bourdais remains to be seen.
With the Frenchman having told reporters on Saturday that his contract will last until the end of the 2009 championship, it was another disappointing day for four-time Champ Car Champion Bourdais. "On the warm-up laps we weren't so happy with the option tyre (softer compound on offer at each race, this weekend being Super Soft) so we decided to start on the prime (harder compound, Medium), which I think was a good call," Bourdais explained.
"But then I began to lose hydraulic pressure and so I lost the power steering, clutch and eventually everything else and so I had to pull in. It's a shame of course because, although we were at the back at the time, I think we had a good strategy, with a heavy fuel load and - even running on primes - we could manage the gap to those ahead of us, staying in touch with them."
Team-mate Sébastien Buemi did finish the race, coming home 16th on his first F1 drive at the Nürburgring. "It was a difficult race, although I had a good start and the opening laps went well," he described. "When we put on the soft tyres at the pit-stop, I suffered with a loss of grip and kept sliding as I struggled to get them up to temperature In the final stint it was the same story - it was not a positive outcome but we will have new updates at the next race and we should be more competitive."
#7
07-12-2009, 08:00 PM
Bourdais never really stood a decent chance in F1. He's only scored maybe 2 or 3 points in the year and a half that he's been racing which is pretty sad imo. I'm more concerned about how this will effect the fantasy league with a new driver coming in so late into the season.
#9
07-13-2009, 12:29 AM
Bourdais never really stood a decent chance in F1. He's only scored maybe 2 or 3 points in the year and a half that he's been racing which is pretty sad imo. I'm more concerned about how this will effect the fantasy league with a new driver coming in so late into the season.
I'm definitely sad to see him go. He seems like a nice guy.
#10
07-13-2009, 08:28 PM
'Alguersuari to replace Bourdais at STR'
Formula One news: 'Alguersuari to replace Bourdais at STR' - GPUpdate.net Formula One
Reports suggest that Spain's Jaime Alguersuari will be replacing Sébastien Bourdais at the Toro Rosso team for the remainder of the 2009 season. Much rumoured over past weeks, the switch would see the reigning British Formula 3 Champion become the youngest ever F1 driver at next weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.
With another poor race for Bourdais ending with retirement and a sombre handshake with Toro Rosso technical director Giorgio Ascanelli at the Nürburgring, the recent gossip is seeming more likely to now be fact with Monday reports suggesting that the Frenchman will indeed be replaced and has therefore driven his in last F1 Grand Prix of the season.
"He's a very good driver," Alguersuari told Associated Press of Bourdais, "but it looks like this year he hasn't given it his all like he's supposed to; I sincerely believe that Red Bull's decision is just but it's never good to see someone taken out of a team halfway through the season."
At 19 years, 4 months and 3 days, Jaime Alguersuari is poised to remove the 1980 record from Tyrrell driver Mike Thackwell as being the youngest ever Formula One driver since the championship's inauguration in 1950. As part of Red Bull's young driver development programme, Barcelona-born Jaime - translating to 'James' - replaced Kiwi Brendon Hartley as reserve driver on 1 July.
Reports on Monday from Autosport also put forward the possibility that Spanish oil and gas company Repsol, a personal sponsor of Alguersuari, could be linking up with the Toro Rosso team next year.
Reports suggest that Spain's Jaime Alguersuari will be replacing Sébastien Bourdais at the Toro Rosso team for the remainder of the 2009 season. Much rumoured over past weeks, the switch would see the reigning British Formula 3 Champion become the youngest ever F1 driver at next weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.
With another poor race for Bourdais ending with retirement and a sombre handshake with Toro Rosso technical director Giorgio Ascanelli at the Nürburgring, the recent gossip is seeming more likely to now be fact with Monday reports suggesting that the Frenchman will indeed be replaced and has therefore driven his in last F1 Grand Prix of the season.
"He's a very good driver," Alguersuari told Associated Press of Bourdais, "but it looks like this year he hasn't given it his all like he's supposed to; I sincerely believe that Red Bull's decision is just but it's never good to see someone taken out of a team halfway through the season."
At 19 years, 4 months and 3 days, Jaime Alguersuari is poised to remove the 1980 record from Tyrrell driver Mike Thackwell as being the youngest ever Formula One driver since the championship's inauguration in 1950. As part of Red Bull's young driver development programme, Barcelona-born Jaime - translating to 'James' - replaced Kiwi Brendon Hartley as reserve driver on 1 July.
Reports on Monday from Autosport also put forward the possibility that Spanish oil and gas company Repsol, a personal sponsor of Alguersuari, could be linking up with the Toro Rosso team next year.
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