REMAINS EIGHTH IN CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (May 11, 2019)
Sebastien Bourdais Race Summary:
Sebastien Bourdais drove a solid race in what can only be described as tricky conditions to finish 11th in today’s INDYCAR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course in Speedway, Indiana. Bourdais, behind the wheel of the No. 18 GEICO – Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan car, started 10th and ran in the top-10 for most of the first part of the 85-lap contest. As the race progressed, Bourdais’ skill and a solid strategy got him into the top-six. Unfortunately, the team made the decision to go with black (primary Firestone tires) during his third pit stop. When the conditions deteriorated into a heavy rain, he was forced to pit again for rain tires erasing any hope of a top-five finish. Bourdais earned 20 points today and remains eighth in the championship standings with 111 just 27 points out of fourth.
Sebastien Bourdais Race Quote:
“The GEICO crew did a great job in the pits and I think we should have finished in the top-five, but we ended up 11th. It was a really tough race. Most of it under a light drizzle, which was tricky. Then it really started to rain. I made a couple of mistakes and I benefitted from a couple of mistakes from the other guys. The car still had too much understeer and it wasn’t the ultimate fastest car, but toward the end of the stints I felt we were better than most. We were on the right strategy…red (alternate Firestone tires), red, red…then we went with the blacks (primary Firestone tires) which turned out to be the wrong decision. So now it’s on to the Indy 500.”
Fast Facts:
Bourdais has now finished in the top-five three times in the six Indy car races held since its inception in 2014. His best finish is fourth in 2014, 2015 and 2018.
In the first five races of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series season, Bourdais has finished 24th in the season opener at St. Petersburg, Florida (non-team related issue ended his race), then put together back-to-back top-five showings finishing fifth at COTA and third at Barber to go along with an 11th place performances at Long Beach and in today’s INDYCAR Grand Prix. Bourdais has a win on the IMS road course. In 2012 he won the Grand AM Rolex Sports Car Series event although the course layout was slightly different.
Bourdais is contesting his 14th NTT IndyCar Series season, fourth with Dale Coyne Racing and second with Dale Coyne Racing w/ Vasser-Sullivan.
The 2019 INDYCAR Grand Prix was Bourdais’ 193rd NTT IndyCar Series start and sixth on the IMS road course.
In 193 career IndyCar starts, Bourdais has won 37 races (sixth all-time) and captured 34 pole positions (seventh all time).
Bourdais is the only driver to win four consecutive IndyCar championships (2004 – 2007).
Bourdais, 40, is a native of Le Mans, France but resides in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Next Race:
Round six of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series will be the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500, Sunday, May 26, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.