Bourdais: 'Renault bad-mouthing me...'

[Jim Wilke]

From Atlas:

Bourdais, who tested for Arrows in 2002 and was offered a drive before that team folded, said it would be hard to keep his hopes alive after 2007: "I'll be 28. And you don't break into F1 when you're 30."

He was critical of French carmaker Renault, winners of both Formula One titles this season with 24-year-old Spaniard Fernando Alonso taking the drivers' crown.

"I don't expect anything from Renault. They have done enough bad-mouthing about me," he said.

"And (Renault F1 president) Patrick Faure's provocative comments on French drivers show they are looking for a reason to justify their policy not to recruit a French driver," he added.

"I don't know the real reasons and, in the end, I don't really care. I just want them to leave me in peace. They should stop having fun demolishing all the French drivers.

"That's the most frustrating thing," he continued. "They won in F1 this year and, sincerely, I say 'Bravo'. I also win and they should also say 'Bravo', even if they are not interested in working with me."

[irloyal]

Whine from the Big cheese.

[Doc Austin]

They should stop having fun demolishing....the French.....

Yes. Leave that to every red-blooded American.

[chuckwagon]

http://www.firestream.net/images/use...surrenders.JPG

[Jim Wilke]

I'm not aware of Renault slamming Bourdais. All they've said is that they don't wish to test him and apparently don't feel he's fast enough. Certainly their choice but for his part, Bourdais seems to think he's entitled to a test just because he's French. Every F-1 team has considered Bourdais and decided, for whatever reasons, that they are not interested in Sebastien, just as nobody wants to offer a legitimate F-1 test to Helio or Kanaan. Maybe he needs to take a hint and make the best out of what he has and stop whining about imagined slights.

[Doc Austin]

Maybe Renault got the memo from Martin Short.

[Chris Paff]

maybe they arent interested cause Seabass hasnt ran in a professional series since 2002?

[ray]

You mean the IROC series is not professional?

[stnkypete]

I'm not aware of Renault slamming Bourdais. .

Evidently he is aware of things they have either said publicly or privately. Why commment on something you admittedly have no awareness of?

[OWFANatic]

Evidently he is aware of things they have either said publicly or privately. Why commment on something you admittedly have no awareness of?

Then the Racing Biz/Splitsville forum would suddenly cease to exist.

[Doc Austin]

Why commment on something you admittedly have no awareness of?

Uhhhhhhhhh, because this is the internet.

[indycool]

Bourdais does not enhance his stature in CC or in the U.S. by weenieing about F1 turning a deaf ear to him, for whatever reason.

[Kurt Cobain]

maybe they arent interested cause Seabass hasnt ran in a professional series since 2002?

You mean the 2005 Indianapolis 500 wasn't professional?

You know Chris, you sound a lot like the old "Dutchman," Norm Van Brocklin. He was an NFL quarterback with the Rams and Eagles in the 50s & 60s--Hall of Fame I believe.

Anyway before Super Bowl III, he makes a statement about a certain AFL guy named Joe Namath, who's been with the Jets four years. The Dutchman says "Come Sunday, Joe Namath will be in his first professional football game."

...and they still fault Joe for being brash and making a prediction before the Super Bowl.

Point is, don't think for a moment Sea Bass would not be competitive if he were to enter the IRL. I think he'd do all right. Kenny Brack did fine when he switched.

[indycool]

Kenny Brack did fine with the IRL, then CART, then the IRL again.

[Kurt Cobain]

Kenny Brack did fine with the IRL, then CART, then the IRL again.

You get it Indy. And I believe Sea Bass would do the same should he ever consider the IRL. Look at Helio, Dario and Tony

[Chris Paff]

i meant a full time series.. i.e CCWS.. Brack was a champion of the IRL and Indy 500 before moving to CART..

Well Broadway Joe wouldnt have won Super Bowl III if Unitas was starting instead of Ed Morral for the "Baltimore Colts"

[Invader Zim]

I'm not aware of Renault slamming Bourdais. All they've said is that they don't wish to test him and apparently don't feel he's fast enough. Certainly their choice but for his part, Bourdais seems to think he's entitled to a test just because he's French. Every F-1 team has considered Bourdais and decided, for whatever reasons, that they are not interested in Sebastien, just as nobody wants to offer a legitimate F-1 test to Helio or Kanaan. Maybe he needs to take a hint and make the best out of what he has and stop whining about imagined slights.

But of course you watch all the French media and read all the French papers too, right?

[rocketdoc]

Yes. Leave that to every red-blooded American.

Where do I sign up?

[rocketdoc]

maybe they arent interested cause Seabass hasnt ran in a professional series since 2002?

Try Visine®, that might help with your “red mist”.

[Vasserfan]

maybe they arent interested cause Seabass hasnt ran in a professional series since 2002?

I posted this as a thread in the CCWS forum. Not, it is not some F1 owner commenting on Sea Bass, but a driver who has had a pretty good career.


__________________________________________________ _______________
Mark Martin on Sea Bass

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seems that IROC champ Mark Martin was very impressed with a certain CCWS driver.

Here is the story:

Truex Jr. wins IROC race; Mark Martin claims title

October 29, 2005
By Bruce Martin SportsTicker Contributing Editor

HAMPTON, Georgia (Ticker) - Mark Martin needed only to start Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway to clinch the International Race of Champions (IROC) series title, but he left no doubt he was the class of the circuit by running second to Martin Truex Jr.

Martin, who virtually clinched the title with a win at Richmond in September, concluded the IROC season by crossing the start-finish line 0.818 seconds behind Truex to claim his first series title since 1998 and record fifth overall.

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"This one was more spectacular than the other years," the NASCAR Nextel Cup veteran said. "My performance in IROC was magical. It is the greatest source of pride in my driving career. You don't get invited to race in IROC ever year. You have to earn your way in to get to compete."

The first time Martin was invited to participate in the IROC series was in 1990 and he remembers being elated just to be involved. He won his first IROC title four years later and followed with titles in 1996, 1997 and 1998 entering this year.

Martin, who holds the series record with 13 checkered flags, cherishes more than just his on-track accomplishments, however.

"The numbers are incredible, but the thing I think is most important to me today is I've matured enough to know the coolest thing about IROC is the opportunity I've had to sit in the drivers meeting with great drivers from all over the world," Martin said. "Guys like Martin Brundle, Emerson Fittipaldi, Al Unser Jr., Max Papis, Helio Castroneves, Sebastien Bourdais. All of these guys, I wouldn't have had a chance to even talk to unless I had a chance to compete in IROC.

"When I see one of those guys on TV, I can say I know that guy and he's cool."

Martin said that Truex, the defending NASCAR Busch Series champion, gave him a driving lesson on Saturday.

"He put a spanking on us," Martin said of Truex, who led all but one of the final 43 laps.

"Mark Martin is one of the guys I look up to," Truex said. "I'm secretly pulling for him to win the 'Chase.' It was a lot of fun out there. I started off in the back and ran into the wall and didn't think it would be a good day. But I was able to get some new tires after that one crash and they worked out pretty well for me."

The series pits 12 drivers from different racing series in cars prepared identically by IROC.

Nextel Cup driver Matt Kenseth was third followed by the IRL star Helio Castroneves. World of Outlaws driver Danny Lasoski rounded out the top five.

"IROC is pretty cool, all of the best drivers are in it and I used to watch it on TV and it was something I always wanted to do," Truex said. "To run with guys who are the best at what they do in their own series, it's great to get to meet them, hang out with them and race against them."

Martin said he is going to take the $1 million championship prize to put away towards his retirement fund. He also earned over $1 million for winning the Nextel All-Star Challenge in May.

Defending NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion Bobby Hamilton and Scott Pruett were involved in a final-lap crash, but the event had been decided by then.

Both the Martin and Truex were impressed with two-time Champ Car series champion Sebastien Bourdais, who won the IROC race at Texas Motor Speedway in April in just his second start in this series.

"If someone in NASCAR doesn't give Sebastien Bourdais a ride, they need their head examined," Martin said. "They are all the real deal, but Sebastien has really impressed me. Helio Castroneves is also a really cool guy and it's great to race against him. All the guys in IROC, Buddy Rice, Max Papis, they have all studied harder and worked better at IROC than any other class of the 11 times I've participated in IROC."

Bourdais finished sixth ahead of 2004 Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Rice.

"I think we put on a good show with our cars," Bourdais said. "There was a lot of three-wide and four-wide and a big battle out there. You just wish you had a little more power to get out of there."

Bourdais comes from a series that includes single-file racing on road and street courses but quickly has adapted to the side-by-side nature of stock car racing in IROC.

"He seems like one of those guys who could jump in and drive anything," Truex said of Bourdais. "I've seen him run on some of those street courses and he never seems to make a mistake. He does a really good job, he's comfortable and he's cool to watch. They are all really good guys, they love to race and love to have a good time, race with people they have never raced with and to hang out with them."

Corrected Link



Chris, you, like all internet posters are entitled to your opinion. You have every right to hate CCWS and it's drivers and owners. But to say it is not a "professional" race series, is pretty lame.

We don't know what Renault has sadiabout Sea Bass. Perhaps he has heard or been told things that we are not aware of.

But one thing we do know. He is a very good driver, and at least one oval centric driver has lots of praise for him.

But then again, what does Mark Martin know?

[Turn13]

Why commment on something you admittedly have no awareness of?

So that you can find out more information?

As a preface to the comments to follow, so they can be considered in that context?

[GrandView]

Well Broadway Joe wouldnt have won Super Bowl III if Unitas was starting instead of Ed Morral for the "Baltimore Colts"

Doubtful.

The entire Colts team got beat by the entire Jets team........because they severely underestimated them......offensively and defensively.

"Ed Morral" (Earl Morrall) didn't lose the game for them.

GV

[Richard Kimble]

''Bourdais comes from a series that includes single-file racing on road and street courses ..''


Call this 'selective quoting.'

Thanks for the article,VF.

[Jim Wilke]

"If someone in NASCAR doesn't give Sebastien Bourdais a ride, they need their head examined," Martin said. "They are all the real deal, but Sebastien has really impressed me. Helio Castroneves is also a really cool guy and it's great to race against him. All the guys in IROC, Buddy Rice, Max Papis, they have all studied harder and worked better at IROC than any other class of the 11 times I've participated in IROC."

Hmm, looks like Mark Martin thinks Bourdais should get a NASCAR ride and forget about F-1.

[ray]

Not really, he said Bourdais was a talented race car driver. And only the uninformed could argue with that.

[Kurt Cobain]

Doubtful.

The entire Colts team got beat by the entire Jets team........because they severely underestimated them......offensively and defensively.

"Ed Morral" (Earl Morrall) didn't lose the game for them.

GV

Don't forget (and this is also addressing Chris' post) that Unitas had a very sore arm hence Morrall starting for the season. I don't believe the Colts would have gotten to SBIII had Morrall not played.

And as Joe was quoted as saying in more than a few publications about the "what if Baltimore did this or that?" question, he said "You don't think we couldn't open it up?"

By that he meant go to the air to Sauer, Turner and an injured Don Maynard. The Jets would have destroyed them.

Okay, sorry for the hijacking...back to our regularly scheduled Sea Bass bash

[Doc Austin]

Not really, he said Bourdais was a talented race car driver. And only the uninformed could argue with that.

Or someone he has almost killed, like Martin Short.

[kikigirl]

Or someone he has almost killed, like Martin Short.

40 lashes with a Mcdonald's "Freedom Fry"!
(we've been looking at the Ronald pic TOO long! )

Seriously, why doesn't Sebastien just be happy with what he's got instead of obsessing about what Rennault thinks.
Besides, we all know where Flavio's head is.

[Doc Austin]

Besides, we all know where Flavio's head is.

Hmmmmmm, didn't he get replaced by Seal?

[kikigirl]

Hmmmmmm, didn't he get replaced by Seal?

GAWD, it's a good thing I swallowed that mouth full of Pepsi!
Hmmmmm, maybe we better up the ante to 80 lashes with a "Freedom Fry"

Somehow, I don't think Flavio was crying for long in his vino.