Bourdais, the Joker in the Pack 21/10/2008 With most of the teams having announced their drivers for 2009, there are few imponderables left. So far Ferrari, McLaren, BMW, Williams, Toyota and Force India have decided to stick with their present line up, while we know that Red Bull will have Sebastian Vettel taking David Coulthard's place alongside Mark Webber.Sebastien BourdaisThat leaves Renault, Toro Rosso and Honda as undecided, largely because Fernando Alonso has not made up his mind for next season. Obviously, the double world champion would prefer it if some miracle would occur that allows him to go to Ferrari, but that is just not going to happen; Kimi Raikkonen is over his mid-season problems and is now looking eager to prove himself over the next two seasons.Honda have reportedly made Alonso an offer but it seems very unlikely that he would take this option. The Japanese company's F1 effort has been embarrassing over the last two seasons and it is too much to expect that they should suddenly be challenging for race wins next year. The smart money remains on Alonso staying with Renault, therefore, especially in view of their recent improvement in form.That leaves a great deal of uncertainty at Honda. Conventional wisdom would suggest that the team keep Jenson Button but "let Barrichello go" to make way for a younger driver. Rubens is fighting hard to keep his seat, however, and there does not seem an obvious choice that would fit the job description of an exciting new driver with potential. Bruno Senna is touted as a possibility but any realistic assessment of the Brazilian must conclude that he really needs another year of GP2 before he is ready for F1.Most likely Honda will continue for another year with their current drivers but I would suggest that it would be worth Ross Brawn taking a look at Sebastien Bourdais. The Frenchman has had a tough year with endless bad luck and a steep learning curve but he is now getting on top of that. His recent performances have been on a par with or better than Vettel's but STR are still undecided about his future. For Sebastien to suddenly jump ship would, at least, be just the kind of slap in the face that the awful man management at STR deserves.There was a time in F1 when it was accepted that a new driver would require a year's experience before the team could expect his true potential to emerge. The current fashion for rookies to be thrown in at the deep end has disguised that principle and team managers seek Hamilton clones as a result - but the principle remains true in general. Bourdais should be the hottest property on the market now that he has demonstrated the extent of his learning.That would be the kind of coup that I would expect from Brawn, the sudden announcement of a done deal with Bourdais while STR are still dithering. Brawn has been happy to continue with the existing line up for his first year but 2009 marks the time when we expect his presence at Honda to make a difference. A new and ambitious young driver is exactly what the team need to inject some enthusiasm and perhaps spark a revival in Button (who has become too accustomed to blaming everything on the car - can you see Alonso accepting such a situation?).Whatever happens, it is clear that Bourdais is not particularly happy at STR. I have no doubt that he will continue with the the team if no other offer materializes but his best option would be to get out if he can. Once a team has shown its dissatisfaction with a driver by letting his contract wait while they investigate other possibilities, the relationship is never going to be right and performance will suffer on both sides.Honda have nothing to lose by such a deal. They know that Button and Barrichello will deliver approximately the same results and so it would be no hardship to lose one of them. If they gamble on Bourdais providing some extra energy to the team, they lose nothing if he proves insufficient to the task - Button will still provide their bread and butter. Should Bourdais live up to the promise he is showing now, however, it could reflect very well on the foresight of Honda and Brawn.All speculation, of course, and the likelihood is that Honda will stick with Barrichello and STR retain Sebastien, perhaps with Buemi as his team mate. That would not be a bad thing for Bourdais; he can grab whatever glory is going by putting his rookie sidekick in the shade. But we should not expect STR to continue their successful streak into next season. Force India are looking elsewhere than Ferrari for engines because the Italian team are behind in their development of KERS - and that will apply to STR as well. With Uncle Max seeking ways to standardize output from the engines as well, STR will no longer have the power advantage they have enjoyed in the last few races.The new regulations for next year will undoubtedly create some shuffling of the established order in F1. The big teams will almost certainly remain on top but it is not impossible that a couple of the midfield runners suddenly become much more competitive. It may be too risky for Alonso to take that chance by going to Honda but, for Bourdais, it could be exactly what he needs.
Clive
Dave Spurr What a great idea. I really like Bourdais and the way that STR have treated him hasn't been great. I also really like Barrichello and would miss him from the grid, but I suppose he's had more than enough time in the sport now.Either situation would be good, but for Bourdais to be dropped from the sport after just 1 season (with half of it in an under-par car) is not really fair. I suppose that's the penalty we get for being 4 drives short on the grid, not enough time for drivers to develop in F1 before being chewed up and spit out. Date Added: 21/10/2008
Clive Good point, Dave - with fewer seats to go round, F1 becomes even harder on its drivers than usual and some very unfair "retirements" become inevitable.Barrichello is one of the nice guys and has always delivered good value for money. But he is at an age where he has had his chances and unlikely to set the world alight now. It is not so much that he has lost any of his ability - rather that he is a known quantity and Honda really need someone who offers the hope of brilliance.Bourdais may be the one to do so. It is hard to tell after only one year but he has proved that he can hack it in F1 and perhaps has the speed to compete with Vettel. That is a lot more guarantee than Honda will get from a complete rookie like Senna. Date Added: 21/10/2008
Gusto I spotted Rubens wasn`t happy in Fuji 1st pratice, He knew he was making way for Bruno, perhaps Bruno can remind Jenson what it`s all about!. As for Alonso leaving a team with a pukker Renault engine, he`s crazy, but not that crazy. Well the rest will be history, lets just hope it will be decided by someone who has actually seen a F1 race before. Date Added: 21/10/2008
Clive Poor old Rubens - I do feel sorry for him.It has to come sooner or later, however. Date Added: 21/10/2008
donwatters FA is almost certain to stay at Renault. There just isn't any viable option for him at the moment. I like your idea of SeaBass going to Honda, especialy the very deserved single digit salute it would give STR. My only concern would be this: Even though it's the legendary Ross Brawn, what leads you to believe Honda is going to be any more competitive than they have been for the last two seasons? Date Added: 21/10/2008
Clive Did I say I believed that, Don? It's a possibility, that's all. Hopefully, Brawn's influence will have permeated the design department (and we do know that they gave up on this year's car to start work on the next very early). I'm not going to stick my neck out by predicting anything, but I'd say the chances are pretty good that Honda will be a lot more competitive in 2009.Not that that's saying a helluva lot, of course. When you start at the bottom, there ain't all that many places to go apart from up... Date Added: 21/10/2008
Gusto I like to remember Rubens the day he raced at Hockenheim the day after? he`s Father died, He started 18th and won the race. I cheered him him through every overtake, then to think of that race and then to think of the new Hockenheim is very sad. Date Added: 21/10/2008
Clive Yeah, Rubens had some great days and will be remembered for them. But what the way they truncated Hockenheim was criminal... Date Added: 21/10/2008
Gusto Some examples from the last race why Mr allen and Mr kravitz wont make it to the BBCMr Allen" You can see the marbles etc etc.. mainly on the back straight"Not 20 minutes laterMr Brundle" Where will Kimi let Felipe through..?..probably on the back straight were the marbles are there leastOrMr Lenny " Lewis has put a half turn on the front wing to help with oversteer"If they dont know the basics, what the hell are they doing commentating, or should I say what Were they doing commentating. And no more Def Lepard........Thank you God...........might even invenst in a 250 Dollar license....yes 250 USA Dollars ! . Date Added: 21/10/2008
Pink Peril Personally, I think Button is THE most overrated driver on the grid today. If I were Brawn & looking at getting rid of one of my drivers for next year, I wouldn't be looking in Barrichello's direction, thats for sure.Although there is definitely something to be said for knowing when its time to call it a day. Think of how much better regarded DC would be today if he'd called it quits last year & not had the complete embarrassment of this season as his last year in F1. Rubens would be wise to avoid a similar situation.As for STR - didn't they learn anything from last years driver shambles? Date Added: 21/10/2008
Gusto Damon`s year at Arrows then he`s stint at Jorden was most painful to watch. I lost all respect for DC when he let Mika retake the lead in the Aus GP 98 ( that is not the actions of a Champion ). Apart from the lifestyle Jenson fell into he cant handle a unbalanced car, he`s to clean a driver, would dread to think what he drives a rally car like. Date Added: 22/10/2008
Clive Peril: Don't be too hard on "our Jenson" - he's a pom and so we have to like him, you know. ;)Age is the only reason I picked on Rubens to go. He's had a good innings and, as you say, better to bow out while people still remember your good days, rather than leave after having made a bit of a hash of your final season.One day I might forgive Berger for the way he treated Scott Speed - but that day has not arrived yet! Incidentally, Scott is doing rather well in the Craftsman truck series and looks to be moving up to Nextel next year. Date Added: 22/10/2008
Clive Gusto: The idea of Jenson in a rally car just makes me smile. I know that F1 drivers do not usually make good rally drivers but some thoughts just should not be entertained! :D Date Added: 22/10/2008
Corey Good idea on Bourdais to Honda, Clive. He has previously suggested that he is looking forward to being on slicks next year which he is more accustomed to and something about the makes me think he can help develop a car. I like the guy and hope that he has another year in F1 to show his what he is capable of. In my opinion, whenever he had the Toro Rosso to his liking there wasn't much between him and Vettel. At the beginning of the season he was better than Vettel, the new STR comes along and he seems outclassed until he got it working and now he is making it into the shootouts. Dont even let me get started on the points he lost with the FIA. Lets see what Mr. Berger does because it would be silly to turn up next season with two new drivers. Date Added: 22/10/2008
Nick Goodspeed I'm afraid poor Jenson Button fell into the same trap as Jacques Villeneuve did. They both got into a team with poor chemistry. Both Button and Barrichello have the talent to do far better, but I doubt they ever will due to the limitations of the car they've been supplied with. Ross Brawn is not a messiah. He will not be able to repeat his past success unless he is surrounded by the other, necessary pieces that form a winning team! Unless Button were to be picked up to replace Kovalainan at McLaren, which I seriously doubt will ever happen, he will be remembered for bumping JV off a sinking ship and taking over a seat that wasn't going anywhere. Honda, since they took over BAR, must be about the greatest underachievers I have seen in my many years of following F1. Sadly for Button, he never had the chance JV had at Williams. Date Added: 22/10/2008
Steven Roy It is worth watching the Friday free practise sessions to listen to Bourdais when he comes into the pits after each run. Most of the drivers - well those whose team radio we get acces to - will say there is understeer, or bottoming or maybe two things will be highlighted. Bourdais after each run lists a litany of faults with his car. This either means that the STR is a truly evil car or he is simply reporting back in far more detail after each and every run. Yes it sounds like he is moaning but didn't Prost get accused of constantly moaning and constantly fiddling with the car and no-one other than Mansell would say that Prost wasn't a great driver. Bourdais has done enough to get another shot but I don't think he will get it. I would love to see what he would do in a good car run by a good team.I have to say I ams really disappointed in Berger's management style. From his persona as a driver I expected him to be really good at getting the best from his drivers but saying they won't make a decision till Xmas is pathetic. Following on from the nonsense with Liuzzi and Speed it looks like he thinks the best thing to do with drivers is to de-stabilise them. I don't remember to many drivers in history driving well while they were de-stabilised. Only Alonso last season springs to mind as someone who could drive majestically while the whole team was imploding round him. Maybe those two should get together after all. Date Added: 22/10/2008
Corey If you're right Steven and Berger waits until Xmas to decide Bourdais may not be around as he is being quoted on gpudate.net saying "The bosses at Toro Rosso don't seem to be in any hurry to decide my future. The concern is that I have other offers outside of F1 that I need to respond to." The detailed reports you highlighted are not moaning in my opinion but a driver who knows what is wrong with his car and making sure his engineers have the info. Date Added: 22/10/2008
Clive Corey: I agree that Bourdais has had little chance to show us how good he is. Another year in the game would be all he needs and we might find that he is as capable and quick as any of the recent arrivals. Unfortunately, it looks as though he sees his future either with STR or outside F1 - so the Honda possibility is just a pipe dream.STR are beginning to follow Toyota in starting each year with new drivers (although Toyota have at last seen the error of their ways in this). It is indicative of an attitude that expects instant results and insufficient willingness to put in the work necessary to get the best from a driver. They have had some success this year, thanks largely to a good chassis powered by a powerful engine but I don't see that continuing into the new season. Date Added: 22/10/2008
Clive Nick: Brawn is certainly not a miracle worker but he does have the capacity to get a team working together efficiently, I think. Hopefully, his engineering back ground will also enable him to see any flaws in the new car design too, giving the team time to fix such things. I would not be surprised to see Honda much closer to the front as a result.I agree completely with your assessment of Button and Barrichello. Button's career especially is a history of wrong decisions taken at the wrong moments. Date Added: 22/10/2008
Clive Steven: I was a fan of Berger's while he was driving but he has been a disappointment to me as a team manager. The way he handled Speed and Liuzzi was terrible and it is no wonder that they underperformed.What you say about Bourdais' comments on the handling of the car is interesting. That sounds to me like a man who knows what he is talking about. And it will not have endeared him to a team that does not like to hear what is wrong with their cars. Suddenly I begin to understand why Berger is so slow in re-signing Sebastien - he thinks the Frenchman is a pain in the rear end and does not see that a driver who understands the faults in a car to such depth is an invaluable asset. Date Added: 22/10/2008
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