Is Sebastien Bourdais that bad?

[underpowered]

I am getting frustrated with watching Sebastien Bourdais do so poorly in F1.

He cant be that bad....can he?

[ykiki]

I am getting frustrated with watching Sebastien Bourdais do so poorly in F1.

He cant be that bad....can he?

No.




He was doing relatively well at the start of the season, but hasn't looked as good since they changed cars. Then again, he made it to the 2nd round of qualifying last week in Hungary, but had to start near the back due to a penalty.

All in all, I don't think he's doing too badly considering he's driving for a team that not too long ago was MinardiF1.

[ZzZzZz]

There's a mentality in F1 that drivers are pretty much interchangable. The drivers should adapt to the team's set-up, not provide feedback. If the can't adapt, just get another one. They play disrespectful mindgames with the drivers. Some seem to give in if the driver fights enough, such as with Jacques Villeneueve at Williams, where his input, once they listened, helped the team. Others, as with JV at BAR (or, apparently, Michael Andretti at McLaren) have various other nefarious reasons for disregarding a driver, or even sabotaging him. There's also a degree of scapegoating with underperforming teams.

Obviously, some of the better teams value driver input, and some of the top drivers have amazing technical knowledge.

Bourdais' case is odd. In his first race he passed up through the field to a 7th place finished that signaled more to come. He's had a few pretty good drives that ended with mechanical DNFs, but it does look a bit fishy.

[Miatanut]

F1 is in another world from top level American open wheel racing as far as demands on the drivers. Part of it is in America, people still try to have fun with racing. In Europe, it's more business-like. Drivers who spent a significant part of their open wheel careers here get into that and they get their minds messed with and it's all downhill from there.

[gloomyDAY]

No! Bourdais is an excellent driver without a hope in hell at Toro Rosso. The new STR chassis has not been compliant with Bourdais' style of driving, which I believe is due to Berger's favoritism for Vettel. From the instant Le Seb went off at Monaco I knew that it was all downhill from there and I've not been proven wrong.

As Vettel excels and gets into Q2 on a regular basis and the occasional Q3 you can see Bourdais struggle a lot more. The frustration is only going to compound and Le Seb will probably wash out by the end of the year.

I'd really like to see Bourdais in an IndyCar (possibly AGR). Why not?

[domaza]

No! Bourdais is an excellent driver without a hope in hell at Toro Rosso. The new STR chassis has not been compliant with Bourdais' style of driving, which I believe is due to Berger's favoritism for Vettel. From the instant Le Seb went off at Monaco I knew that it was all downhill from there and I've not been proven wrong.

As Vettel excels and gets into Q2 on a regular basis and the occasional Q3 you can see Bourdais struggle a lot more. The frustration is only going to compound and Le Seb will probably wash out by the end of the year.

I'd really like to see Bourdais in an IndyCar (possibly AGR). Why not?

In an interview this week Seb told that he is the onlyone out of 4 guys, who is saying that smt. has to be changed with car - so it is 1 again 3, what means no changes. Sad, but true.

[MAX_THRUST]

He was in the best team in CCWS but I don't think he is bad. But pollitics in F1 surely mean if they need him gone then he will look awful. It'll be made sure of, scap goat was a word above and I agree. Just remember Zanardi at Williams. The car was the dyer and I'm not just talking the livery either.

[Osiris333]

Bourdais is good, but he has to adapt to the new car quickly or he'll be out of a job.

Truthfully, he was never as good as looked in Champ Car. NH had a special suspension package that gave him a huge advantage. That said, Tracy, Power or Wilson are probably the only other guys on the grid who could have done as much with the car he had.

Don't expect him in an IRL car until they change the formula. He thinks the Dallara is a CW, and way too dangerous. He saw what it did to Bruno Junqueria's back at Indy a few years ago, and Bruno has never been the same.

See 'ya in ought eleven, Seabass...

[The instant classic]

i sometimes watch F1 cuz it comes on like 7am
and i never see Bourdais anywhere? i wish he could come to IRL he was one of my faves in champcar for many years

[bblocker68]

Aint gonna happen. Seabass spent all of those years in Champcar so he could get back to F1. He wont come back until things change in a big way in IndyCar.

Vettel is getting the better of Bourdais right now because the new upgrades that were put in place give the advantage to Vettel's driving style. He is rough and bully's a car to get where he wants it to, where Bourdais is very smooth and fluid. They are on opposite ends of the spectrum.

Frankly, I'd rather see Bourdais go to Renault (home team) than to come back here. He earned the right to drive in F1, so I say let him stay and try to make a name for himself there.

But I do miss seeing him on the track around here in the US.