APRIL 25, 2007

Does Bourdais have an F1 deal for 2008?

Sebastien Bourdais is winning again in America. After three rounds of the Champ Car series Sebastien is leading the championship by three points, having won at both Long Beach and in Houston.

Sebastien Bourdais is winning again in America. After three rounds of the Champ Car series Sebastien is leading the championship by three points, having won at both Long Beach and in Houston. Given that he has already won the title in 2004, 2005 and 2006 the 28-year-old from Le Mans has little left to achieve in the United States, unless he wants to try his hand at NASCAR.

This year he is competing in the Le Mans 24 Hours for Peugeot, a clear sign that he is ready for more challenges and his test with Scuderia Toro Rosso last winter underlined the fact that the Frenchman is not worried about starting at the bottom in Formula 1 as it seems he has given up the hope that the big F1 teams will take notice of his results in America. Bourdais was quickly on the pace that the Toro Rosso was capable of going and the word in France is that he will back in a Toro Rosso at the Spa test in July.

We have even heard stories suggesting that a Scuderia Toro Rosso deal is already done for next year. If this is the case, it is down to the work of Nicolas Todt, the man who is a partner in the ART GP2 team and who manages Felipe Massa - and who also happens to be the son of (Toro Rosso engine supplier) Ferrari's Jean Todt.

Last autumn Todt took over the management of Bourdais's activities in Europe and this was what brought about the Toro Rosso test.

"Nothing is yet decided for 2008, but he seems well-placed to become one of the drivers for the Italian team," Todt told Autohebdo. "I really want to find him a drive for 2008."

France has not had a regular F1 driver since the retirement of Olivier Panis and Todt Jr believes that he can change that situation.