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Bourdais Set To Test For Torro Rosso

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Bourdais to test for Toro Rosso

By Jonathan Noble Monday, December 11th 2006, 14:21 GMT

Sebastien BourdaisThree times Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais will test for Scuderia Toro Rosso at Jerez in Spain this week.

The Frenchman will get a three-day try out at the Spanish circuit from Wednesday, amid speculation that he could be in contention for a race seat at the Italian outfit next year.

Although the team have said several times that they expect both Vitantonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed to remain on board for another season, there has not yet been any confirmation about their futures.

Significantly, Toro Rosso did not lodge either of their drivers' names with their FIA entry to next year's Formula One world championship.

Bourdais is currently contracted to Newman-Haas for next season, but sources have revealed that he has an option in his deal that would allow him to switch to F1 if he was offered a race seat.

A Toro Rosso spokeswoman has denied, however, that the test in a precursor to a race driver for Bourdais in 2007.

"For now there are no discussions about driving next year," the spokeswoman told autosport.com. "It is just a test."

The test comes as a major surprise, especially as the Frenchman said just last month that he thought his F1 hopes were finished after top teams continued to ignore his success in the Unites States.

"I think it's over," Bourdais told sports daily L'Equipe. "It's frustrating but there are loads of talented drivers who never went to F1...one can always say it's unfair but that's F1, and it's never been fair."

He told L'Equipe that several teams had been interested in taking him on as a test driver but with no guarantees of an eventual race seat.

"I was supposed to give up everything I had spent four years building up - for a perhaps," said Bourdais.

In July he said: "I don't think people in the paddock recognize my achievements. I won in F3000, I've won two titles since coming [to the United States], and this year is looking pretty good. I'm not sure what more I have to do. I can't even get a test.

"Do people expect me to go back to Europe and prove myself again in GP2? That would be a massive step back - if only in terms of earnings."

www.autosport.com

Is there any need for him in F1? Indy is not what it used to be, and him beating F1 rejects does not really do his CV a whole lot of good IMHO. IRRC he did have an outing with Arrows but lost the seat as they went bust. Also he refused to sign as a Renault tester as he did not want to sign up under Flavio management. I think the train might have left the station for his F1 career.

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I think he's a great talent and would potentially be a force in F1 but it could be a bit late now. Anyway I dont see a reason why Bourdais would want to go from winning in USA to being at the back of the grid in F1. Liuzzi should be making steps forward by now, he dominated F3000 just as rosberg and Hamilton did, but looks to be stuck at the back for another year

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Yes, but I think he'd be better off staying Stateside. Unless he got a seat in which he could show his abilities to good effect he'd be wasting his time. Anyone at his level needs a top 4 or 5 team or it's not going to be worth the effort. And I don't see that happening. Unless simply being in F1 is what he wants even if the chances of success are slim. Hmmm. I'd definitely stay in the US.

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im inclined to agree with the reporters on this one, i think this will just be a test.

hes a great driver, but i think he's place is in champ car for now

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im inclined to agree with the reporters on this one, i think this will just be a test.

hes a great driver, but i think he's place is in champ car for now

Yes, Bourdais has been dominating the champ car series for three years, which at worst is at least as competitive as GP2. He does deserve a chance. There should always be room for hard working drivers who have proved themselves on track. I rather see him in STR than Scott Speed.

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