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ArrowsFA1
10th August 2007, 11:15
Scuderia Toro Rosso have confirmed three-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais will race for the team in 2008.
The Frenchman will join German Sebastian Vettel at the Italian squad next season.
"It has been a long time coming, but here we are," said Bourdais. "I would like to thank everyone at Red Bull for believing in me and giving me this long-awaited opportunity to race in Formula One.
"I must also thank Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing for letting me pursue my dream and allowing me to test for Scuderia Toro Rosso a few times this year."
The 28-year-old Frenchman will be free to join the team after the final round of this year's Champ Car Series on 2 December.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/61468

ChrisS
10th August 2007, 12:06
Good to see Seb finally got his chance in F1, best of luck to him.

With all the mess at STR for the past few weeks at least its a good thing to see that they sorted their 2008 line-up so early, unlike last year when they waited until the end of February to confirm drivers.

WelshLegend
10th August 2007, 12:29
What a poor choice in Bourdois i believe. How dare they get rid of Liuzzi who is trying his best in an absolute S**T car. STR never seem to develop the car and now they hire a champion from the ChampCar series jsut so they can ruin another career like they did with Speed and now Liuzzi. I for one will now never support STR. Gerhard Burger should leave the team due to all the crap decisions he has made.

WelshLegend

pino
10th August 2007, 13:06
Good for Bourdais but I don't think Liuzzi deserved the door, if I remember well : 8 consecutive retirement due to mechanic problems for him this year...

ArrowsFA1
10th August 2007, 13:43
Good for Bourdais but I don't think Liuzzi deserved the door...
I agree about Liuzzi. I don't think he's done much wrong in his time at Toro Rosso, and he's a better driver than they've allowed him to show. As for Bourdais, it's a risky move. He might see it as his only opportunity to get into F1, and is thinking it's now or never, but it's hard to see Toro Rosso being the place for him to make a mark on F1. Struggling for points is likely to frustrate him and Champcar has seen the way he reacts in those circumstances. I wouldn't be surprised to see him head back across the Atlantic after a couple of years because I don't think more competitive teams are interested in him, rightly or wrongly.

joeswfc
10th August 2007, 13:48
Good luck to seb but i think hes just gonna be another Zanardi.

MAX_THRUST
10th August 2007, 13:54
Zanardi had a crap car in 99, Andretti had a pretty bad car when at McClaren. Montoya and JV both did good jobs I think. Good luck SB, good to see afrench driver in the field for the french GP. Feel sorry for Tonio, but this is formula one we are talking about, where nothing is often fair. Maybe he has something else already lined up. Who knows, we will all know in time....

markabilly
10th August 2007, 13:54
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/61468

See corrected title above
Maybe they are hoping that as a car customer, their supplier will get better but as long as burger and tostie are there, no

Speed, SB and VL all deserved better :(

MAX_THRUST
10th August 2007, 13:55
Oh and Damata did a stela job in rubbish Toyota.

He lead the Brittish GP in fine style.....lets wait and see!!

markabilly
10th August 2007, 13:59
Good for Bourdais but I don't think Liuzzi deserved the door, if I remember well : 8 consecutive retirement due to mechanic problems for him this year...

Excuse me but you are off topic with the comment about VL according to your own rules
Please penalize yourself one point :rolleyes: and quit :bigcry: :bigcry: over VL

FIA
10th August 2007, 14:13
I see Liuzzi going to Williams or Toyota as a driver next year, don't waste his talent.

555-04Q2
10th August 2007, 14:17
I never watched Liuzzi race until he came into F1. Was he a fast/talented driver before F1 and will we hopefully see him improving in a better team :?:

trumperZ06
10th August 2007, 16:18
:dozey: SeaBass @ 28 is getting... Long in the Tooth... for a rookie F-1 driver.

This is likely his last & only chance to race in Formula 1. Sorry to see SB having to take a ride with Toro Rosso, when IMO... he should have been given a chance to drive for Renault years ago.

Personally, I rank SeaBass well above Fisi.... but he wouldn't sign an indentured servitude contract with Favio.

Unless he impresses one of the better teams next year (Renault or BMW)... his F-1 career is likely to be... real short.

Rudy Tamasz
10th August 2007, 16:32
No matter, what happens to SB in F1, he's already had quite a career (F3000 title, 3 Champ Car titles and a 24 Hours of Spa win) and not even an unsuccessful F1 season will undo it. He stands nothing to lose. If he impresses F1 community, he may be given a chance with a more successful team. If he does not get noticed he'll be back to North America for NASCAR, ALMS or, well, Champ Car.

Roamy
10th August 2007, 18:06
I am not in agreement that the age of 28 is too old. SB has many years experience at driving at high speeds. I think this will make him move competitive right away. The question will be regarding his skills. He has the best team in Champ Car and can be beating by a few Champ Car drivers regularly. Dornbos to pick one. But I do think that winning the title 3 times at least makes him worth of a ride.

truefan72
10th August 2007, 18:22
good luck to SB, he will need it
shame it had to come in a STR, he should have been driving for Renault years ago. Another reason for Team principles not to be allowed to double up as agents. too much confilct of interest.

I fear that the F1 "club" will only give him this one shot and that they probably think he should be grateful for this lousy opportunity. He should have waited another year and signed for Red Bull or Toyota.

He might not even last the year if Berger/Tost are still around. you never know with those two characters.

tinchote
10th August 2007, 19:04
As has been said, I see it more as "let the guy have his chance to drive in F1; he deserves it". It's hard to imagine that he can start a career from STR, but then several drivers started with Minardi, that same team (Alonso, Webber, Fisi, to name the most successful).

TMorel
10th August 2007, 19:14
Wait a minute, I thought you HAD to start in a crap team and work your way up otherwise people complain you're only at the front because you're in a McLaren.

And to think, I was worried I was going miss Schumi. 2007 is great, I can't wait to see what the new class of 2008 can do :)

Timber
10th August 2007, 19:55
good luck to SB, he will need it
shame it had to come in a STR, he should have been driving for Renault years ago. Another reason for Team principles not to be allowed to double up as agents. too much confilct of interest.

I fear that the F1 "club" will only give him this one shot and that they probably think he should be grateful for this lousy opportunity. He should have waited another year and signed for Red Bull or Toyota.

He might not even last the year if Berger/Tost are still around. you never know with those two characters.

Flavio should no to be allowed by Renault to only hire drivers that he manage .
I think that if Bourdais has a good year with Tosso Rosso next year he will probably go to Red Bull in 09

10th August 2007, 20:28
Flavio should no to be allowed by Renault to only hire drivers that he manage .


But Fisichella isn't managed by Flavio. Neither is Piquet Jr, as far as I know.

Back on the topic, STR have been disappointingly poor this year, but let's not forget that despite being co-owned by Red Bull they do not have the budget of Red Bull and are still run out of Minardi's old Faenza place.

I read an interview with Berger in which he said the biggest problem was attracting the highest level engineering staff to Torro Rosso because they are still percieved in the paddock as Minardi with a hand-down car.

It may be that neither Liuzzi or Speed were giving the team the kind of feedback and car set-up skills that STR required. At least with Bourdais, they will have someon who should know how to give feedback, since I seem to remember it was that and not outright pace that got him the Newman-Haas ride in Champcar (If my memory serves me, he was beaten on pace by Montagny).

stevie_gerrard
10th August 2007, 20:57
well he's always wanted his chance, this is his moment, i hope he does well, he's a favourite driver of mine, i love his driving ability. :)

jens
10th August 2007, 21:12
Yeah, Toro Rosso seems a strange team with its behaviour. Hopefully they won't start accusing their new drivers for uncompetitive machinery.

Vettel vs Bourdais. Umm, hard to say, who will be better next year...
As much as I have heard, the Frenchman has a two-year contract, which is a bit strange. I would have expected one year at STR and then for 2009 he would or should have tried to get into a better team. But two years at STR... it sounds like SB's F1 career will end in that team as well.


8 consecutive retirement due to mechanic problems for him this year...

As far as I remember, Canadian and Monaco retirements were not mechanical. :p :

P.S. I hope one day Doornbos gets another F1 chance again. At the moment he seems like another victim of Red Bull's drivers' programme.

Ian McC
10th August 2007, 22:25
Not the best car for a driver with 3 Champ Car titles. I wish him luck, he's going to need it!

Timber
10th August 2007, 22:27
But Fisichella isn't managed by Flavio. Neither is Piquet Jr, as far as I know.

Back on the topic, STR have been disappointingly poor this year, but let's not forget that despite being co-owned by Red Bull they do not have the budget of Red Bull and are still run out of Minardi's old Faenza place.

I read an interview with Berger in which he said the biggest problem was attracting the highest level engineering staff to Torro Rosso because they are still percieved in the paddock as Minardi with a hand-down car.

It may be that neither Liuzzi or Speed were giving the team the kind of feedback and car set-up skills that STR required. At least with Bourdais, they will have someon who should know how to give feedback, since I seem to remember it was that and not outright pace that got him the Newman-Haas ride in Champcar (If my memory serves me, he was beaten on pace by Montagny).

you are right Fisichella is not and that is why i won't be there next year
but both Piguet and Kovolanien are managed by Flavio . I can wait for him to leave and for Renault to get another team manager :rolleyes:

raikk
11th August 2007, 00:01
good luck SeaBass.. can't wait to see what he does.. even though I admit I'm certainly not a fan of his but I think its long overdue..

Roamy
11th August 2007, 06:38
He should do fine, however based on what i am seeing I would have probably hired Dornbos

Ranger
11th August 2007, 07:37
I would have expected one year at STR and then for 2009 he would or should have tried to get into a better team. But two years at STR... it sounds like SB's F1 career will end in that team as well.

But contracts can be bought out with the aid of other teams depending on who drivers impress in their rookie season. Look at Senna in 1985.

cy bais
11th August 2007, 17:39
No matter, what happens to SB in F1, he's already had quite a career (F3000 title, 3 Champ Car titles and a 24 Hours of Spa win) and not even an unsuccessful F1 season will undo it. He stands nothing to lose. If he impresses F1 community, he may be given a chance with a more successful team. If he does not get noticed he'll be back to North America for NASCAR, ALMS or, well, Champ Car.

Well stated, a very decent racing resume/cv in my opinion. Congratulations SB, I wish you the best !!

Cy

jso1985
11th August 2007, 22:02
not the best car to start with but to impress the big F1 teams it's better to drive for a smaller team first than winning everything somewhere else, besides Frank Williams, i don't think any other F1 team has ever taken CART/Champ Cars seriously

PSfan
12th August 2007, 03:39
I'm torn on this one, I was anxious for Bourdais to get a shot at F1, but Burger and Tost have proven to me that there are worse team owners/managers then Paul Stoddart. At least Seb will be driving one of the nicer liveried cars out there, hone Berger doesn't screw that up too!!!

Shame to see Luizzi and Speed go as they added ALOT of character to F1, Formula 1's loss will be Champ car's gain...

millencolin
12th August 2007, 13:20
Personally, i dislike SeaBass in Champ Car due to his antics and of course, after the Will Power Incident at Surfers Paradise (i will never forgive him for that)

but i hope he does really well in f1. he deserved his chance years ago. Go kick some arse Seabass

Komahawk
12th August 2007, 15:32
It's about time. When Bourdais is through with Vettel he (Vettel) will wonder why he actually ever got involved with racing.

mirek01
12th August 2007, 21:02
It will be interesting to see what Bourdais can do in F1 and how he will go against young Vettel.

millencolin
14th August 2007, 15:56
P.S. I hope one day Doornbos gets another F1 chance again. At the moment he seems like another victim of Red Bull's drivers' programme.


i think he is having way too much fun in champ car

coldawg
14th August 2007, 16:15
I question if SB has the mental toughness to adjust to being a back marker. It certainly will be a new situation for him.

14th August 2007, 17:44
It's about time. When Bourdais is through with Vettel he (Vettel) will wonder why he actually ever got involved with racing.

Now that could be a severe case of famous last words.

BenRoethig
14th August 2007, 21:16
He's got too much talent for that team. Picking a bad team in F1 is a career ender.

gm99
14th August 2007, 21:39
He's got too much talent for that team. Picking a bad team in F1 is a career ender.

Well, it's worth a try - if he doesn't succeed in F1, he can always go back to Champ Car, just like Michael Andretti, Alex Zanardi and Cristiano da Matta have.

Lemmy-Boy
15th August 2007, 01:36
If SeaBass can out qualify Vetell and fluke out a point or two, maybe he can get a decent drive for 2009. As a betting man, I wouldn't put my money on him due to his erratic team and questionable bosses.

jarrambide
15th August 2007, 01:45
Well, it's worth a try - if he doesn't succeed in F1, he can always go back to Champ Car, just like Michael Andretti, Alex Zanardi and Cristiano da Matta have.

Or the IRL, I'm not sure CC will be around in one or two years, I'm also not sure if the iRL will be around in 4 or 5 years but I'm sure at least one of those will be around, even in a country so in love with NASCAR there are still enough fans for an Open Wheel Racing series.

punkologist
15th August 2007, 12:05
good luck to him. Would have been good to see him in a better car though.

siberiankiss
15th August 2007, 20:34
I'm not a huge fan of his, but I was definitely glad to hear he's finally getting his chance in F1. A better team would have been nice, but he definitely deserves a ride and I personally think he's gonna do pretty well...

slowkarter
15th August 2007, 22:42
Good luck in F1 SB? I'm sure he's taking the "Golden Arches" as a sponsor with him right??? French Fries and all that good lot!
Red Bull & McDonalds...juice and grease...great mix.

Let's see now:
MiAndretti leaves CART as Champ for F1 - debacle!
Ol Nige' comes stateside - CART champ - returns to F1 - laughing stock!
J. Villeneuve leaves CART (Indy500 champ & CART Champ???) - F1 Champ Yay!!
decides to become a rock star in "baggy" clothes - sayonara JV!
Zanardi leaves F1 a nothing takes CART by Storm as Champ several times over-returns to F1 and becomes a nothing again! IMO He is more of man now than he ever was as a CART champ and I deeply admire his courage...Go Alex!
SebBourdais takes Scott Speed's spot at Toro Rosso...hmmm! Something tells me the result will not be as wonderful as the French Canadian with deep racing roots planted by a fiery and world loved father (Salut Gilles!).

Still stranger things have happened and with Seb in F1 perhaps Alan Prost will become more vocal again. Panis only seems like a long time ago!

Drew
16th August 2007, 02:33
Finally, I'm surprised it's taken so long.

I'm just hoping that this won't ruin his career, especially with the mechanical problems this year. 14 retirements / 22 starts for Toro Rosso - eek!

Roamy
17th August 2007, 02:19
What a piece of sh!t Berger is - After firing Tonio he says he has a bright future in F1. If I were Tonio I would give him a right cross and when he is on his ****ing ass I would give him a "Chicago Heel Stomp"