Finally the STR team is testing the STR3 chassis after Bourdais crashed the first one a few weeks back. It seems that the STR3 chassis development is coming on well but it's only testing after all. So what do you think, will the new STR3 chassis make a big difference in team STR's performance?

can it hurt?

Hitokiri2 - 15 May 2008 08:36 PM

Finally the STR team is testing the STR3 chassis after Bourdais crashed the first one a few weeks back. It seems that the STR3 chassis development is coming on well but its only testing after all. So what do you think, well the new STR3 chassis make a big difference in team STR's performance?

a difference, but not a big one.

I hope it's at least a .3/lap improvement. I would love to see Bourdais get a chance to mix it up with the likes of Webber, Trulli and Rosberg. My fear is if the car fails to deliver and Torro Rosso folds at the end of the year, old Seabass will be off the F1 radar and relegated to a factory Peugeot sportcar driver or worse yet, NAPCAR driver.

sbulifant - 16 May 2008 04:22 PM

I hope it's at least a .3/lap improvement. I would love to see Bourdais get a chance to mix it up with the likes of Webber, Trulli and Rosberg. My fear is if the car fails to deliver and Torro Rosso folds at the end of the year, old Seabass will be off the F1 radar and relegated to a factory Peugeot sportcar driver or worse yet, NAPCAR driver.

Well lets say Bourdais' first year in F1 is his last, I don't think it'll be the end of his life in open wheel though. I feel Seabass has a good fan base here in North America (well some Canadians might differ but..) and Indycar would probably welcome him back the moment he's out of a ride. Plus Bourdais would make a good 3rd driver and it seems his feedback skills are better then most thought.

In my opinion I give Bourdais maybe another 2-3 years in F1 either as a 3rd driver or an everyday driver. He has showed some skill and so far hasn't said anything stupid which is big plus in this day and age of F1 which many teams seem to appreciate.

I agree that an Indy car team would be out of their minds not to snap up Bourdais if he became available. I just wonder how excited he would be to run around on ovals with the likes of Milka Dunno in an open wheel car. I think he is worthy of keeping his place on the F1 grid but it would difficult to find a seat for him on an 18 car grid. Vettel is likely to replace Coulthard at Red Bull and a logical choice would be to replace an underperforming Piquet at Renault but I don't think Flavio rates him highly and Grosjean is quickly going to become the next big thing in France.

He did express some interest in Nascar when he was over here and keep in mind he actaully beat the good ol' boys in an IROC race and had Mark Martin raving about him.

Let's just hope the new car works and Bourdais doesn't find the same fate as Zanardi and Da Matta.

I think their pace will improve but probably not enough to hoist them past the varsity team on a regular basis. It will be interesting to see how many specs back the STR3 is from the RB4. I seem to recall Liuzzi and Speed both saying, last year, that development pieces were few and far between trickling down to them from Red Bull.

sbulifant - 16 May 2008 06:17 PM

He did express some interest in Nascar when he was over here and keep in mind he actaully beat the good ol' boys in an IROC race and had Mark Martin raving about him.

I suspect that they will pick up a few tenths, be able to get into Q2 fairly easily, qualify in the 10-14 spots, and grab a few points over the year.

if STR folds at seasons end, its out with rubens and in with bourdais at honda. you heard it here first.

lotek - 17 May 2008 02:07 AM

if STR folds at seasons end, its out with rubens and in with bourdais at honda. you heard it here first.

I don't think some people realize how much stock Honda F1 has on Button's talent. They'll pay him whatever to keep him plus how much blame do you hear from Honda F1 paddock on Button's mistakes? None...

Rubens won't be at Honda next year. Rubens is a great driver but Honda has their eyes on something bigger like a Massa if he's fired by Ferrari or Alonso if he doesn't want to be at Renault in '09. Bourdais won't be at Honda - he's too old and he has no respectable resume in F1 yet. IF Bourdais came from the IRL and had Honda connection then maybe but even then it would be an outside shot.

I don't see him coming back to indycar. As said, he doesn't seem to be an oval guy. What about racing in GP2 if he's out of an F1 ride?

I think Bourdais will be around for a while, but even by some quirk of fate he does lose his drive at STR and no one will hire him, I'd say he's most likley to drive LeMans prototypes than go to IndyCar, GP2, or Nascar.
As for the STR3 chassis, it will probably go faster, but everyone else is updating their aero, so I think it's a wash in the end.

lotek - 17 May 2008 02:07 AM

if STR folds at seasons end, its out with rubens and in with bourdais at honda. you heard it here first.

OK, i'll hold you to that.....but i hope the Lancia(ferrari part deux)deal goes through,& the team receives better engines & (wink,wink)chassis tech. from the mothership..i'm a big SB fan from the CCWS days,& hope he's in F1 for a while.

keebler - 17 May 2008 11:31 AM

I don't see him coming back to indycar. As said, he doesn't seem to be an oval guy. What about racing in GP2 if he's out of an F1 ride?

I don't think Seabass well ever race in NASCAR and has said that over and over again when he was in Champ Car. He said he supports the racers but well never race stock cars because he just doesn't want to. As for Indycar he did have some harsh words when unification came but if NHL has an open seat and can develop their oval racing then I can see him coming back even after his F1 career is over (3-5 years in my opinion). LMS is also a good choice but that really matters if Peugeot can defeat Audi or not - if they can then Seabass might look else where if not then he'll take the challenge.

As for GP2...Seabass it seems he feels he already did his GP2 like run running in F3000. He often compares GP2 to F3000 so I doubt he would want to pull a Timo Glock (F1, Champ Car, GP2, F1).

Bourdais encouraged by STR3's potential ..,

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/67454

For me the teamate battle between The 2 Sebastiens - Sebass and.. ( whom one poster called.. and I like the handle) ..Sevett; is the most fascinating mini-drama in F1. Afterall.. Sebastien Vettel has been pegged by sources up and down the Formula One paddock as an almost assured Future STAR of Formula One. not future talent., not quick -driver -- 'Star' mind you.. now, how often have you heard these jaded F1 principals rave on about someone at that level?? And, If Bourdais can truimph in this epic struggle (with the future star) I think he can hang in with F1 for quite a few more years. If he is beaten this year, by his critically acclaimed teamate, then I think his F1 future is likely murky.

Bourdais had a pretty crappy Turkish GP which; included (according to him; getting blocked by both Force India drivers in qualy and missing out on Q2 by only 2 tenths) but also including an embarrassing (and race ending )spin on his own. An F1 rookie thing for sure., but impressively one of his first and only. On the plus side -- I think pound for pound so far, Bourdais has shocked many in the paddock by on occcassion; not only matching that kid Vettel for raw pace; but on several occcassions besting him; in not only practice -- but also in the all important qualifying.

RE: The new IndyCar -- the series seems to be growing at a surprising clip considereing Unification happened only months ago; and I think Sebastien would not be unhappy to end up back there -- if the sponsors and pay & competition were back to CART IndyCar levels. Sebass had an impressive run at Indy until he was taken out in a crash -- of course high-speed Oval crashes can be loads scarier than road course crashes but I don't get the impression that Bourdais dislikes or fears the Ovals. He was one of the voices pushing for unification between road-racing Champ Car and the Oval heavy IRL. Bourdais had always wanted to prove he was the best all around Open Wheeler in America -- and a return to the new IndyCar Series would be his chance to do it. Sebastiens beefs about the sloppy and hastily strewn together unification -- was (imho) that the Champ Car guys were getting the short end of the stick. No doubt this is true -- but, next year should be much better and in 2010 we should see a new chassis (hopefully plural -- and even better would be more chassis/engine combos choices.. with Chevy rumored to be contemplating a return to IndyCar racing) If/when this happens 2010 should see a completely level playing field.

The return of Sebastien Bourdais would be a dramatic moment for many American Open Wheel Racing fans (Sebass seemed to love Champ Car even more than he knew and couldn't hold back tears when saying goodbye) Many fans love him for making week-end, week-out drama in the Champ Car World Series. (Although he does have.., a mini-Lewis Hamilton-style level of detractors as well) I agree.. that any IndyCar teams would be crazy not to snatch him up; if he were available. (Bourdais was still able to run Le Mans & Sebring even while doing a full season of Champ Car racing).

That said, and coming back to Sebass and F1 -- I'm betting Sebass will end the Season with better all around stats than his quick teamate; and walk away with the kudos for havng brought STR into full mid-pack contention. If he does this.. I believe he can have a career similar to Rubens Barrichello -- a top shelf number 2; who is often quicker than the de facto number one (Massa?) or.. as an extended life David Coulthard racer; although in my opininon DC's value is higher off track whereas Sebastien Bourdais value seems (to me).. to be higher on it.