Champ Car Media Conference

Topics:  Champ Car

Sebastien Bourdais
May 14, 2003

ERIC MAUK: Welcome, everyone, to the Champ Car media teleconference, the Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford campaign. Today we are delighted to be joined by rookie Sebastien Bourdais, driver of the #2 Lilly Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone for Newman/Haas Racing. The 24-year-old Frenchman made a big statement this past weekend and the week before actually on the European swing for the Champ Cars winning his first ever Champ Car race at Brands Hatch, then following that up with a thrilling win at the German 500 at EuroSpeedway Lausitz, which he had to lead a three-car train to the finish line, beating Mario Dominguez by less than one-tenth of a second. Thank you for joining us today, Sebastien.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: Hi, everybody.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: It was really particular in Germany because it was my first of all experience, and actually it's been an exciting one because it was a crazy race and my Lilly car was perfect. I just did the job I was able to do. But basically that was a big engineering part. I think Craig did very well in the IRL stuff. We just had a fantastic car through traffic, so it was easier to get the outside lines and keep full throttle. It's true that I was really more excited about the Lausitz Ring victory than the Brands Hatch one because we saved fuel all through the race in England. It's very true that it was not so exciting. But even so, it was my first victory, and I was really delighted in this one.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: Actually, it was a big moment of the race. I was behind Mario since a long time at that point, trying to pass him, and it was very hard to pass because he had a very good top speed. We had the better car in the traffic, in the corners, but still it was very, very hard to pass. Once exiting of turn one, my front wheel was at the level of his rear wheel, and he didn't really see me. Basically he didn't give me much room to go. I said, "All right, I can take the run-away." The thing is, suddenly I saw the grass coming. That was separating our lines. And I said, "All right, maybe there is a run-away somewhere to rejoin the track." The only solution I had was to cross this grass, because actually if I didn't do it, I would have to do an entire lap of the road course track. So I had not really much things to do about that, so I had to cross this grass. That was, yeah, a bit of a scary moment because you know that the oval tires are actually different diameter left to right and I was not really confident to cross that grass.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: Especially training, getting a bit of a rest because it's been a really exciting but also very demanding week in Europe. I'm going to get a bit of rest, enjoy the sun and the weather in Miami and do a lot of sport to keep fit.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: You know, I think the very good start was to do two poles actually, really led the entire weekend in St. Pete. We just missed the victory. So even if it's a big "just," I would say that's a very exciting beginning of season. We also had a very good spring training preparation. I was sure we had the speed. But after, you know, when you arrive and you approach a race weekend, it's always different. So I didn't know exactly what I was going to do, what was basically my future in that series, but it looked like I was able to do very well. I didn't win the first two races because basically we got really bad luck in these races, and I was sure we could win fairly soon. And we finally did it in Europe, in the place where I live. I won my first victory in 2002. I think it was a good point to start and to carry on other victories, you know.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: No, I never raced in Canada. But, yeah, I really enjoy to go to Montreal. Everybody knows that it's a great racetrack. The crowd is very, very big there. I think with the French language, the Quebec language, it's going to be a really demanding weekend for me also. But I really enjoy to have a French language public because it's always very close, and I think they really appreciate what I'm doing. I have a lot of message on my website from Canada. And, yeah, I think it's going to be great.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: You know, first I think the Newman/Haas team is in a very good position to win the championship. Bruno is actually leading the same point that Paul Tracy, and I'm going back in the business. So, yeah, I definitely think that the Lilly crew, #2 is able to do something this year. But it's a bit early to think about it, especially because I'm a rookie. I just want to get the races one by one, to do the best, and calculate the points at the end of the year. But, yeah, for sure we have the speed to do it. It's a very long season, and a demanding one. So I really want to take my time about that and do my best.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: You know, I didn't know what to think about before to have my first experience. I actually did my first test in Phoenix, and that was a very surprising moment. But in Germany it was a completely different deal, because it was flat out all through the lap. The car was just so fantastic that I was basically able to keep the throttle like 95% of the race, even in traffic. Milwaukee, to my point of view, is going to be my first proper oval experience because you have to lift and sometimes to brake in Milwaukee. I think the experienced drivers are going to be very strong there, and I still need to learn a lot about ovals. So I don't know, I think it's going to be definitely a very exciting season for me. But it's a bit too early to think about that.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: I don't know. To speak with engineers, I think the worse one was in Lausitz 2001 (laughter). I think the deal is very, very different. The setup that Newman/Haas has is very strong. We proved that in Lausitz. I'm not really worry about the fact to approach Milwaukee, even if last year it was not a big success. I think we have a really strong car. We tested basically in all circumstances, and I'm fairly confident with that.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: You know, I think it was kind of between a superspeedway track with small wings and an oval like Milwaukee. It was really something special in Germany. Again, it was flat all the way around. I don't think that was a very good representation about what I will see this year, neither in Fontana, neither in Milwaukee. But definitely the race was very, very exciting. I mean, I never had such a tough race. Mentally that was so demanding that I finished, I was completely exhausted. Physically, it's all right. But it's really in your mind that it's difficult to keep it up. And I just felt some great sensations. My feeling in the car was great, and I was able to build my confidence all through the race. I had everything to learn in that race before it started. So, you know, at first behind Mario, I had to try to be at the outside a bit more, and finally I was able to do one turn completely outside. After that, I tried to do all the lap, and many laps, and basically at the end of the race I was even able to do it on the third outside line. You need really to take your time on an oval. It's definitely the safest way to do it. And in another hand, confidence can be your biggest enemy, so you need always to be cautious with that. I really enjoyed, but this race was really crazy. I need to watch it because actually I didn't see a lot of videos about that. I saw the resume, the highlights on the Champ Car website. Even if it was a short one, I mean, it was unbelievable. I have to see that. I'm just really excited to race in Milwaukee. But I think it's going to be very different.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: No, I knew exactly what Mario was trying to do. He was just stronger and stronger last two laps. And I knew he will never do it on the inside because basically I was not opening any door on that side. But even so, his top speed was a bit higher than mine, and he was fairly close to pass me. But I think he had a bit too much understeer on his car, and I knew that, so I just tried to get the inside line. And basically it was very tough for him to stay on the outside. Yeah, that was something I was able to predict and plan about what he was going to do. But still, that was a very tough race at the end.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: No, I just knew that the aero package we had on my Lilly car was just the right one. I mean, Craig and all the other engineers worked a lot, and we had a crazy (inaudible) in Arizona motorsport park. We did very well. We did 180 laps down there. Started at 8:15, stopped 35 minutes at noon, and finished at 5. Basically we learned a lot about what was the best compromise, because we knew what the other were working on the car. I was fairly confident about the comments that Craig was telling me, because we were in very good shape for Germany. But the fact that I was optimistic about the win in Germany, no, for sure not. I was just expecting to get some experience, finish the race, score some big points. But basically they were expecting a lot more about Bruno than I because they knew it was going to be a tough day for me because I had everything to learn.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: No, I don't know why I should be worry about that. I mean, I didn't get much of trouble when the conflict was settled there. I mean, now all the diplomatic things are going to go back in the normal way. Especially because I'm a racing driver, I'm not a politician, so I don't know, I don't think it's going to be any problem about that.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: I just got a moment when I blew the engine in Long Beach, but I think they were just full of alcohol. It was just two guys, and all the rest of the crowd was very upset about their reaction. So I not really worry about that.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: Yeah, I think it's good to know that when they are working with a driver, they like to fix the relationship and to use it as long as possible. It was especially a good point for me because I've been chosen as a rookie. I mean, which they choose Nigel Mansell, he was a rookie, but he was already a superstar in Formula 1. I mean, to be chosen by Newman/Haas Racing, to drive the second car, car #2, was just incredible. That was a revelation that basically they believed a lot in my abilities. That was very important in my mind.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: No. I think they just helped me a lot to integrate myself into the team. Nothing is really solid in the team, you know, it's just everybody's trying to help the driver to feel very comfortable and to be as performing as you can. So basically there's a methodology in the system, is a very good one. I never worked that much, to be very honest, in a team. There is a lot of report, race report, engineer report. We were working a lot about technical aspects. I like very much to do the engineering things because I also study mathematics, physics, after the baccalaureate. I really appreciate what we're doing together. I think that's one of the key of the success.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: You know, Bruno has been really fantastic with me. First introduced me to the right persons to find an apartment in Miami. He gave me an invitation to get bed inside his apartment when I was just in the street. And basically just show me how the system was working. And he's a very clever guy. I mean, he's very smart. And we basically have the same approach about motor racing. So we just try to work as much as we can and try to improve the team if it's possible. But, yeah, I think the team choose this package, this driver package, because we were able to give together good improvements into the system, and I think that's working fairly well because Bruno is basically leading the championship, and as a rookie I'm fourth in the championship with already two wins. So I think everything goes well for Newman/Haas Racing.

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: Thank you.