AUSTIN, Texas (Mar. 24, 2019)
Sebastien Bourdais Race Summary:
Sebastien Bourdais drove a smart, patient race and benefitted from a solid strategy and a timely yellow flag to finish fifth in the INDYCAR Classic on the 3.41-mile 20-turn Circuit of the Americas permanent road circuit in Austin, TX. Bourdais, in the No. 18 Team SealMaster – Dale Coyne with Vasser-Sullivan machine, qualified 17th. He essentially held station, getting as high as ninth when other cars pitted, but sat in 14-16th place for most of the race as he managed his tires and stayed out of the trouble that plagued several other competitors. With 17 laps remaining Bourdais pitted for the final time. While on pit lane a yellow flag came out catching multiple drivers, including two of the leaders, out with the pits closed. When the race resumed, Bourdais was in sixth place. On the restart, Bourdais passed Patricio O’Ward for fifth place where he remained over final ten laps of the 60 lap contest.
Sebastien Bourdais Race Quote:
“It’s great to get a top-five finish after the weekend we were having. Great job by the No. 18 SealMaster Honda team. A solid strategy and a good job in the pits. It was a very static race, not much going on. I didn’t really go anywhere. Then toward the end some guys decided to gamble, but I had to stop and then try and run fast. The guys ahead of me didn’t go anywhere. So we weren’t really very far from them. Then the yellow came out as we were in pit lane. That’s about as lucky as you are going to get. I feel bad for the leaders because they really didn’t deserve that, but we didn’t deserve the problem we had in St. Pete, so I guess things even out.”
Fast Facts:
In the first two races of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series season, Bourdais has today’s fifth place showing to go with the 24th place finish in the season opener in St. Petersburg, FL (non-team related issue ending his race early).
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 Classic was Bourdais’ 190th career IndyCar Series start and first appearance at the Circuit of the Americas.
In 190 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:
Next up for Dale Coyne Racing w/ Vasser-Sullivan is Round 3 of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series season the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, April 5-7, at Barber Motorsports Park.