Bourdais Beatable?

Snrub · 5 Apr 2007, 12:44 (Ref:1884100)

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/champcar/36466/
Basically the premise of this article is that Bourdais is not beatable for the championship. It goes further to suggest that Bourdais may win ever single race. What do you guys think?

My opinion? It's going to be very tough to beat him for the championship. It's going to involve having multiple contenders taking points away from Bourdais and a lapse in his luck. Ultimately PT, Wilson, Power, Tag and maybe even Rahal are going to have to up their game and take it to him. I think only PT or Wilson stand a chance to take the championship. It will take them at their absolute best and Bourdais at less than his.

As for the idea of Bourdais winning every race, that's a stretch. For all PT's faults he's been very unlucky in the last couple of years. Recall at Houston even Dominguez had Bourdais' measure. He's beatable from a race to race basis, but season long is another story, particularly with the points system. If AJ had been at Forsythe from the beginning to the end he may have taken the championship. Hopefully the cars will be incredibly close and we can see 5-6+ different winners.

davyboy · 5 Apr 2007, 12:58 (Ref:1884114)

Unless there's a disaster of some sort [i.e. injury etc...] I don't think its possible for anyone in that lineup to beat Bourdais to the championship. I'm no fan of his, in fact I've never particularly liked his negative and moany attitude, but past evidence concludes that he's head and shoulders above anything that champcar can throw at him and should probably be in F1. Let's see.

SPRacer · 5 Apr 2007, 14:27 (Ref:1884179)

Every time I think about this, I recall that first race in St. Pete when he was running away from everyone - and how he has consistently kept up that pace. I agree that winning every race is a stretch, but he will indeed be very hard to beat for the championship.

Fogelhund · 5 Apr 2007, 14:32 (Ref:1884184)

The simple reliability of a new car, is likely to catch him out at least one time. As far as the championship is concerned, it is unlikely to even be close.

Knowlesy · 5 Apr 2007, 14:41 (Ref:1884191)

I think the situation we have is that we are really relying on Graham Rahal to be the man to take it to Sebastien. Which is just a little too unrealistic at this stage you have to feel, as talented as Graham is.

Newman Haas will steal a march and it really depends on how motivated Sebastien is. Very, I suspect!

rustyfan · 5 Apr 2007, 14:51 (Ref:1884207)

Bourdais will be very tough to beat.

Then again, with Tracy out there you never know what might happen.

Snrub · 5 Apr 2007, 16:08 (Ref:1884252)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

I think the situation we have is that we are really relying on Graham Rahal to be the man to take it to Sebastien. Which is just a little too unrealistic at this stage you have to feel, as talented as Graham is.

Newman Haas will steal a march and it really depends on how motivated Sebastien is. Very, I suspect!

I guess another aspect of the question is Newman Hass' technical work, preperation and car assembly beatable? Given that there is a new car with limited setup parameters, can any other team be at or above NH's level? Knowlesy seems to be of the mindset that no one can

I'm not sure.

I suspect that other teams will need to be close for their drivers to stand a chance. Forsythe has proven that they create equally consistant setups, but matching the reliability (of every aspect) has been another story.

gttouring · 5 Apr 2007, 19:28 (Ref:1884384)

Newmann Haas, Bourdais-Rahal this is a good team and oozes talent, rahal will cause fits for Bourdais' challengers, and we will se if he can do 4 in a row.
Sebastian is magnifique-

Peter Ford · 6 Apr 2007, 01:09 (Ref:1884571)

dont think newman-haas will win every race,there will be races where they wont finish and no one knows how good Rahal will be,is he good enough to be his teamamate?,we just have to wait and see and then there A certain Canadian who will be out for a other championship and of course that Wilson as well.

Fogelhund · 6 Apr 2007, 03:02 (Ref:1884599)

Quote:

No, the real query will be: can he win all 14 races?

From the link, hadn't noticed this before. 14 races? Is that an error, conjecture or does he know something we don't?

Tim Northcutt · 6 Apr 2007, 03:45 (Ref:1884616)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

From the link, hadn't noticed this before. 14 races? Is that an error, conjecture or does he know something we don't?

That's one of the biggest questions on the other OW forums right now, Fogelhund...

Becuase Both Miller and Steve Ballard from the Indy Star quoted the same number of races in their preview columns this week....

My guesses:

Phoenix and China....Vegas has become a papering operation to make it look good (and that promoter also has Phoenix as a client), and the China thing has already (covertly) switched out to October to help clueless locals get their acts together...

Just my Opinion....fire away

mac · 6 Apr 2007, 23:34 (Ref:1885203)

I think by the end of the year we could have a number of contenders up front challenging - Wilson, Tracy, Power, Doornbos, Rahal and Jani.

The question is whether they can do it consistently. I really think Power can push him this season.

TWK · 7 Apr 2007, 00:04 (Ref:1885209)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Northcutt

That's one of the biggest questions on the other OW forums right now, Fogelhund...

Becuase Both Miller and Steve Ballard from the Indy Star quoted the same number of races in their preview columns this week....

My guesses:

Phoenix and China....Vegas has become a papering operation to make it look good (and that promoter also has Phoenix as a client), and the China thing has already (covertly) switched out to October to help clueless locals get their acts together...

Just my Opinion....fire away

More to the point of the thread, Tim, you seem to indicate in your own column that Bourdais is certainly beatable at Las Vegas, that "the field" is pretty strong:

The Latest Line
Las Vegas will offer odds on nearly anything and this weekend’s Champ Car race is no exception. Bourdais as the favorite, followed by Paul Tracy, with a third option to bet the “Field.” So in that “field” bet you get Justin Wilson, fast and competitive throughout 2006, with a win at Edmonton, five runner-up finishes and a third place. Include the experienced, Alex Tagliani, Mario Dominguez, and veteran Bruno Junquiera, and the field starts to look pretty good to me.

To those contenders you can add Graham Rahal, Minardi’s Dan Clarke, and team Australia drivers Will Power and 2006 Champ Car Atlantic champion Simon Pagenaud. Don’t bet your mortgage, because anything can happen on a street course, but I’ll be rooting for “the field” as I settle in with my Easter candy in front of the television.

http://lastturnclub.com/content/view/74/71/

davyboy · 9 Apr 2007, 17:31 (Ref:1887346)

Well I guess most of us were wrong for LV... but I still think Bourdais will be very difficult to challenge over the course of the year... would love to be proven wrong though and see a decent battle for the championship.

Snrub · 9 Apr 2007, 20:21 (Ref:1887472)

While Bourdais may have had a poor race, his performance while he was running was astounding. It looked kind of like the Toyota celebrity race when the good professional drivers catch up to the celebs. I think Power could have legitimately beat Bourdais on speed, but I'm not sure about anyone else.

I almost wonder if two teams like Forsythe, TA or Minardi will do like RSports and start sharing information in an attempt to beat Bourdais.

The Saint · 10 Apr 2007, 22:05 (Ref:1888572)

Take Bordais out of his Newman/Haas and put him in a 'lesser' car and he is very beatable. Justin Wilson is a better driver, unfortunately he does not have the backing of that famous burger clown.....

Snrub · 10 Apr 2007, 23:37 (Ref:1888630)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Saint

Take Bordais out of his Newman/Haas and put him in a 'lesser' car and he is very beatable. Justin Wilson is a better driver, unfortunately he does not have the backing of that famous burger clown.....

In what way do you think Wilson is better? I think that would be pretty difficult to prove.

For Bourdais' first couple of seasons PT was better at certain things. Restarts, cold tires and passing being the main ones. He gets better every year. I think PT might be a little better at restarts and cold tires, but its a very small difference if any.

norman-normal · 15 Apr 2007, 23:17 (Ref:1892615)

Now how do you feel?

andy_b · 15 Apr 2007, 23:39 (Ref:1892625)

SB didnt look as if he was even trying and he still walked it

Knowlesy · 16 Apr 2007, 19:03 (Ref:1893285)

Yep, situation normal.

I hope Will Power enjoyed his moment in the sun!

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