From Seventhgear:Newman/Haas Racing confirms Bourdais today

[MolsonBoy]

Newman/Haas Racing decided to get a jump on the media and confirm Bourdais today.

"Paul (Newman) and I are very pleased to welcome Sebastien to our team," said Carl A. Haas, co-owner of Newman/Haas Racing with actor/racecar driver Paul Newman. "From the first test with Sebastien, he has shown that he can work well in our environment. We believe that Bruno and Sebastien have the ability to win many races and fight for another Championship."

Confirmed at CART
See: CART.com

[enemy-ace]

Brilliant. Newman-Haas are looking very strong again this year, probably stronger than last year. Bourdais will really push Bruno hard I'm sure.

[macdaddy]

Two car confirmations in one day!

Up to 16 now!

[f1manoz]

Three down (Bourdais, Manning and Lavin), two to go (Moreno and someone).

The Newman-Haas line-up is probably the strongest in the field, except for perhaps the Players line-up.

I think we're in for a fantastic season.

[Jay]

Try cart.com.. not really news though.

[Snrub]

I agree that NH's 2003 paring is stronger than it's 2002. Da Matta is a little better then Bruno and Bourdais is a lot better than Fittipaldi.

[Liz]

Sorry, Dario.

[Speeddemon555]

Glad to have Bourdais on board here in the states. I watch some F3000 races this winter on Speed where Bourdais was a front runner in most of the races.

[Russfeld]

Originally posted by f1manoz
Three down (Bourdais, Manning and Lavin), two to go (Moreno and someone).

The Newman-Haas line-up is probably the strongest in the field, except for perhaps the Players line-up.

I think we're in for a fantastic season.

Players arent even close. And they wont be for the entire season.

[Liz]

May we quote you?

[Russfeld]

Go for it.

Newman-Haas are a better team, with a better car, with better drivers. On top of that Carpentier is rarely motivated enough, and Tracy is often over-motivated. I think you'll have a low points score by the champ though because Bruno and Sebastien will be taking points off each other. Id expect Bourdais to podium by Long Beach, and possibly win Brands.

[SALEEN S7R]

So Russfeld is that your professional opinion? I agree about the Players point - the team wont be at the top of the pecking order this year I dont think but I doubt they will be near the bottom either.

As for Bourdais winning Brands and a podium at long beach, well my money is on Junqueira, Bourdais will be in his debut year and all the tracks will be new to him - with the exception of Laguna Seca because he has had a bit of testing there. Junqeira on the other hand knows all the circuits and has in my point of view a better pedegree.

By all rights Bourdais shoudnt have taken the F3000 title and the only reason he did is the fact that Enge was docked 10 points at the end of the year and so dropped to 3rd overall. Junqeria on the other hand won his title fair and square against some pretty good oppostion too in the form of Justin Wilson, Darren Manning, Nicholas Minassion and Sebastian Bourdais.

Still I dont think Bourdais will be majorly off the pace of Junqeria and I belive he will win a few races but I belive that Junqeria has the edge over him at the moment, still only time will tell but its going to be a very intresting year.

[Russfeld]

Well the engineers say Sebastien gets up to speed in new situations quicker than anyone they've seen, so going into Brands where Bruno wont have an experience edge on him, i expect Sebastien to lead the way

[SALEEN S7R]

Hmm, well if what u are saying is true u may be right. But then talk is one thing racing is quite another. After all the NHR team are hardly going to say that their new signing is a dog slow learner and dosent have a chance are they.

I know u are going to say that they said this before he was confirmed, but unoffically he was confirmed almost 2 weeks ago now. Still lets just wait and see but I think the smart money is on Junqueria.

[Russfeld]

For the championship I agree, but Bourdais will be close. And really the reason he's signed is because the engineers rate him so highly.

[Snrub]

I think NH will be the team to beat, but you never know what could happen. Look at JPM's seasons. Considering the laps lead and how fast he was, he really did quiet poorly in terms of points. The last two seasons PC has really picked it up. Never say never. Maybe PT will cool his jets and be consistant for once. (granted some seasons the consistancy hasn't been his fault)

[BootsOntheSide]

I wouldn't be surprised if Bourdais takes the title fight up very well. No-one expected Montoya to beat Vasser in 1999, coming in to a similar position to Seb's current one, yet he trounced him. F3000 does produce extremely good CART drivers, and people who do well in F3000 almost always do well in CART, and vice versa.

[Liz]

"Taking points off each other" ... do you think the dreaded team orders will come into play if this happens regularly?

I am going to be interested to see if Tags steps up this year; he has a lot to prove that he didn't have last year, and Paul G. is a tough taskmaster sort of like Patrick. I wonder how that will play out?

And PT has been hired specifically to win the championship and given everything he wanted to help him. Besides which his popoularity has never been higher. Will he step up to the plate and outdo himself, or will he overreach and end up a prat?

And who among the new guys will prove to be a surprise?

[Russfeld]

I think the problem is the new guys, other than Bourdais, simply havent got the equipment. Only guy with a chance is RHR because can be compared directly to Vasser.

[SALEEN S7R]

That may be true but the series has now become very much more of a "spec" formula, I belive that Lamiere will be at the front of the grid regulary now, perhaps not winning races but certainly in with a shout for podiums, I saw him when he drove the Audi R8 in the ELMS back in 2001 and he was very impressive.

[BootsOntheSide]

"I belive that Lamiere will be at the front of the grid regulary now, perhaps not winning races but certainly in with a shout for podiums"

Are you taking the mickey? That a guy who barely raised a blip in junior formulae can be a frontrunner in a new team set up by his boss?

My outside bet might be Tagliani, or even Servia or Fernandez, but mainly I think Seb, Bruno, Pat and Paul are favourites.

[Russfeld]

Tag wont factor, the team isnt there. But I agree with you completely on Lemarie.

[SALEEN S7R]

Well I think hes a good driver lol, he did well to beat Tomas Enge in the Panoz in the Cheq Republic - ok so the Panoz was a year older but still Tomas Enge is a ace driver as he proved in 2002 with his F3000 performance and should have taken the title - ok he didnt because of the drug issue but in most peoples eyes he did, although it wont be that way on paper.

So in order for the Audi to out pace - and out pace the Panoz easily I belive Lamire did a pretty good job, still we shall just wait and see.

[Russfeld]

Yeah but Lemarie was part of a team of drivers, and the only track where a Panoz is even in the ballpark of an Audi is on ultra high downforce tracks, and in all honestly a Johansson/Lemarie R8 is better than a Enge/Janis old panoz

[SALEEN S7R]

True but then Tomas Enge knew the track better than anyone there, he is a Cheq after all, he knew every inch of that track so should have been in with a shout, and hes a damn good driver which should compensate for the lack of the cars performance - after all it was only a year older.

For Lamire to have won the race was a great achivement in my book, for him to have won that race and a couple of others must prove he isnt a bad driver.