Newsroom
BOURDAIS DOMINATES IN BELGIUM
Monday, 27 August 2007
Sebastien Bourdais (#1 Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing) has again proved why he is the driver to beat in the Champ Car World Series, earning nearly every point at the Belgian Grand Prix by grabbing the pole position on Saturday, setting the fastest race lap and winning by more than 13 seconds.
Victory has assured Bourdais an extension of his overall points lead in the Championship to 53 over Dutch driver Robert Doornbos (#14 Minardi Team USA), who campaigns the fortunes of Australian team owner Paul Stoddart.
Finishing second over the weekend was Dale Coyne Racing driver Bruno Junqueira, who scored the best ever finish in Dale Coyne’s 24 years as a team owner. Though the Brazilian started fourth, it wasn’t an average Sunday drive.
Junqueira lost one position at the start when the entire field came to pit road on lap 17, a fueling problem saw him exit pit lane in 15th place.
Mired in the back of the field, Junqueira and the Coyne Racing crew came back onto pit lane under the next yellow just ten laps later. The alternate strategy saw Bruno move up to second in the order as the other drivers had to dive onto pit lane for service under green flag conditions.
Junqueira made his final stop on lap 48 also under green flag conditions and dropped back to tenth. When a full-course caution slowed the race again, the majority of the field used the opportunity to come to pit road for a final splash of fuel to reach the end of the race.
While they came to pit lane, Junqueira stayed out and moved back up to the fourth position, sitting behind Simon Pagenaud (#15 Team Australia), Belgian Jan Heylen (#34 Conquest Racing) and Tristan Gommendy (#22 PKV Racing).
The three drivers in front all had to pit for fuel while Bruno worked hard to conserve fuel and make it to the chequered flag.
In the end, the three-time championship runner-up battled valiantly with Bourdais and his Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing teammate Graham Rahal, letting the French champion slip by but holding off the American rookie.
Much like Bruno, Rahal was embroiled in a tight battle throughout the race, mostly with Australian Will Power (#5 Team Australia) and English driver Justin Wilson (#9 RuSPORT).
Power finished fourth, subsequently losing more ground in the race for the Vanderbilt Cup, with Wilson right behind in fifth. Forsythe Championship Racing driver Oriol Servia finished sixth, his ninth top-10 finish in 10 races.
With the double podium, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing took the early lead in the Phanos Champ Car European Team Cup competition earning 70 points over the course of the weekend.
Team Australia, winners of the Champ Car Canadian Triple Crown, are second with 60.5 points and the Rocketsports/RuSPORT duo is third.
Next up is the back-end of the European double header as the Champ Car World Series heads to Assen, Holland for the Bavaria Beer Champ Car Grand Prix of Holland presented by Audi, Hertz, Gant, Pioneer and Jumbo.
The event in Holland runs from August 31 – September 2 as the final preliminary to this year’s Lexmark Indy 300 to be held on the Gold Coast October 18-21.
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Victory has assured Bourdais an extension of his overall points lead in the Championship to 53 over Dutch driver Robert Doornbos (#14 Minardi Team USA), who campaigns the fortunes of Australian team owner Paul Stoddart.
Finishing second over the weekend was Dale Coyne Racing driver Bruno Junqueira, who scored the best ever finish in Dale Coyne’s 24 years as a team owner. Though the Brazilian started fourth, it wasn’t an average Sunday drive.
Junqueira lost one position at the start when the entire field came to pit road on lap 17, a fueling problem saw him exit pit lane in 15th place.
Mired in the back of the field, Junqueira and the Coyne Racing crew came back onto pit lane under the next yellow just ten laps later. The alternate strategy saw Bruno move up to second in the order as the other drivers had to dive onto pit lane for service under green flag conditions.
Junqueira made his final stop on lap 48 also under green flag conditions and dropped back to tenth. When a full-course caution slowed the race again, the majority of the field used the opportunity to come to pit road for a final splash of fuel to reach the end of the race.
While they came to pit lane, Junqueira stayed out and moved back up to the fourth position, sitting behind Simon Pagenaud (#15 Team Australia), Belgian Jan Heylen (#34 Conquest Racing) and Tristan Gommendy (#22 PKV Racing).
The three drivers in front all had to pit for fuel while Bruno worked hard to conserve fuel and make it to the chequered flag.
In the end, the three-time championship runner-up battled valiantly with Bourdais and his Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing teammate Graham Rahal, letting the French champion slip by but holding off the American rookie.
Much like Bruno, Rahal was embroiled in a tight battle throughout the race, mostly with Australian Will Power (#5 Team Australia) and English driver Justin Wilson (#9 RuSPORT).
Power finished fourth, subsequently losing more ground in the race for the Vanderbilt Cup, with Wilson right behind in fifth. Forsythe Championship Racing driver Oriol Servia finished sixth, his ninth top-10 finish in 10 races.
With the double podium, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing took the early lead in the Phanos Champ Car European Team Cup competition earning 70 points over the course of the weekend.
Team Australia, winners of the Champ Car Canadian Triple Crown, are second with 60.5 points and the Rocketsports/RuSPORT duo is third.
Next up is the back-end of the European double header as the Champ Car World Series heads to Assen, Holland for the Bavaria Beer Champ Car Grand Prix of Holland presented by Audi, Hertz, Gant, Pioneer and Jumbo.
The event in Holland runs from August 31 – September 2 as the final preliminary to this year’s Lexmark Indy 300 to be held on the Gold Coast October 18-21.
Back | Back to top
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