Sebastien Bourdais Qualifying Summary:
Sebastien Bourdais missed advancing to the second round of qualifying by five hundredths of a second and will start 14^th in tomorrow’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Bourdais, behind the wheel of the No. 18 Team SealMaster – Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan entry, went out in Group 2 in Round 1 of qualifying on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit. He posted a fast lap of 67.3135 seconds putting him seventh in his group of 12 drivers and therefore did not advance to the second round.

Sebastien Bourdais Race Quote:
“The No. 18 SealMaster Honda guys did a really good job. We turned things around pretty good this morning and I think we have a good race car. I really thought we would be right there in qualifying. Then sure enough in the heat we picked up a bit of understeer. That kind of killed me on the reds (Firestone alternate tire). I was just missing the flow and it’s always so close here. It’s a shame. The problem is when you start 14^th, it’s not going to be an easy task, but we will fight and see what we can get tomorrow.”

Fast Facts:
Bourdais has qualified in the top-10 eight times with two poles, 2006 and 2007, in 14 attempts at Long Beach. In 13 previous races he has finished in the top-10 seven times with three wins, 2005, 2006 and 2007. Bourdais and Al Unser Jr. are the only drivers to win the Long Beach Grand Prix three consecutive times. Al Jr. did it from 1989 to 1991.

In the first four races of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series season, Bourdais has a best qualifying effort of fifth last week at Barber. His first two qualifying efforts were plagued by red flags and he ended up starting 19^th in the season opener at St. Petersburg, FL and 17^th at Austin, TX to go with today’s 14^th place qualifying position.

Bourdais was inducted into the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach “Walk of Fame” on Thursday, April 11. He joins Dale Coyne with Vasser- Sullivan co-owner Jimmy Vasser who was inducted in 2011.

Bourdais is doing double duty at Long Beach. In addition to driving the No. 18 Team SealMaster – DCRVS entry he will compete with Ganassi Racing in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship event subbing for Joey Hand who has flu like symptoms. The last driver to run both races at Long Beach was Ryan Hunter-Reay in 2016.

Bourdais is contesting his 14^th NTT IndyCar Series season, fourth with Dale Coyne Racing and second with Dale Coyne Racing w/ Vasser-Sullivan.

The 2019 Acura Indy Grand Prix of Long Beach will be Bourdais’ 192^nd NTT IndyCar Series start and 14^th on the streets of Long Beach.

In 191 career IndyCar starts, Bourdais has won 37 races (sixth all-time) and captured 34 pole   positions (seventh all time).

Bourdais is the only driver to win four consecutive IndyCar championships (2004 – 2007).

Bourdais, 40, is a native of Le Mans, France but resides in St. Petersburg, Florida.