What now for Bourdais

[cider_and_toast]

Simple question - Will Sebasian Bourdais still be at STR next season or for that matter will have an F1 drive at all?

It would seem increasingly likely that Bourdais will be without a drive next season. I think this is a little unfair. Not many drivers have manaaged to succesfully convert from US Open wheel racing to F1 but with Bourdais being a 4 time Champ Car champ there was the weight of expectation on his shoulders. While he dosn't seem to be as quick as Vettel he has also had his fair share of bad luck this season. He was running a good 4th in Australia, could have been on the podium in Belgium and the less said about Fuji the better.

With Vettel moving on at the end of the Season I would have thought that STR would want to have some experience in their car/team set up especially as next season could prove a little unpradictable.

The rumours that have appeared in the press are that one driver that has tested for STR is Takuma Sato. Would Sato really be a better choice than Bourdais ??

It's pretty clear that Bourdais is trying hard (perhaps too hard) to get achieve results in F1 and deserves another crack at it but what does everyone else think ??

 

[Brogan]

I would generally agree with that assessment.

Although not as accomplished as his team-mate, he has shown potential at times but suffered from some bad luck.
I think another full season, especially with the aero changes could see him move further up the grid.

As for Takuma Sato replacing him....
My recollection of Takuma is as a very average, erratic driver, prone to mistakes and inconsistency.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[GooddayBruce]

I think Bourdais deserves another year in F1 - he is an obvious talent and as the OP rightly says next year's aero should make F1 cars more like the champ cars he drove to successive titles in the states.

Brogan appraises Sato well although I believe his Super Aguri days saw him develop into more of a safe pair of hands. Perhaps he thrived in the environment of a team built around him. Maybe he was mindful that the team's small budget meant his off track excursions would be even less welcome than they were at Honda.

If STR are going to lose their Red Bull backing after 2009 and have to convert to being a full constructor (although this is still up in the air really) Sato's Yen may speak loader than Bourdais' pedigree.

Let's not forget that apart from his bad luck this season he out raced Vettel last weekend and apart from the last lap at Spa he did so that weekend as well. Nobody has even mentioned his grid problems at Monza. Call me an softy but I really warmed to him after that press interview after Spa - that's how gutted I would have been as well.

 

[Brogan]

Call me an softy but I really warmed to him after that press interview after Spa - that's how gutted I would have been as well.

Yes, we sometimes forget they are human and fairly young at that so the pressure and disappointment must be immense.

Just seen this in Autosport though so it may not be bad news after all...

Toro Rosso to delay Bourdais decision

Scuderia Toro Rosso could hold back on making a decision about Sebastien Bourdais' future with the team until after the end of the season as they ponder their driver options for next year.
<snip>
However, with some strong performance from Bourdais in recent races - including what should have been more points in Japan last weekend – the Frenchman is now looking more likely to be given another chance in 2009.

But team co-owner Gerhard Berger wants to wait a while before finalising his plans – although he admitted that Bourdais was now driving at the level expected of him.

[More....]

 

[cider_and_toast]

That's good news.

I've warmed to Bourdais this season and his "red carpet" comment was brilliant on Sunday.

I've got to agree with Bro's assessment of Taku as well. On occasion he did show the odd flash of skill but too often he binned the car. I will always remember Taku passing Alonso in Cananda which won the autosport award for Overtake of the season last year.

fingers crossed for Bourdais then.