Bourdais Has Solid Race in Long Beach
Sebastien Bourdais Race Summary:
Sebastien Bourdais drove a solid race and finished 11th today in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Bourdais, in the No. 18 Team SealMaster – Dale Coyne with Vasser-Sullivan car, started 14th on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit, He passed three cars in the first 13 laps to move into 11th place and battled throughout the rest of the contest as he fought to finish in the top-10. Bourdais earned 19 points today and is now eighth in the championship standings with 91 points.
Sebastien Bourdais Race Quote:
“The No. 18 SealMaster Honda car seemed pretty solid early in the race and I was able to make a couple of moves. As the race went on the balance got away from us and I picked up more and more understeer. I tried and tried to pass Rosenqvist (Felix), but he defended and I could never get by. At the end, I just tried to save the car and made sure I didn’t make any mistakes. We’ll just take our 11th place finish and move on.”
Fast Facts:
In 14 races on the streets of Long Beach, Bourdais 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 two top five finishes including a podium (third at Barber) and a fifth at COTA, to go with today’s 11th place showing and a 24th place finish in the season opener at St. Petersburg, Fla. (non-team related issue ended his race early).
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 did double duty at Long Beach. In addition to driving the No. 18 Team SealMaster – DCRVS entry he finished fourth for Ganassi Racing in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship event subbing for Joey Hand. The last driver to run both races at Long Beach was Ryan Hunter-Reay in 2016.
Bourdais is contesting his 14th 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 was Bourdais’ 192nd NTT IndyCar Series start and 14th on the streets of Long Beach.
In 192 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.
Next Race:
Next up for Dale Coyne Racing w/ Vasser-Sullivan is Round 5 of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series season, the INDYCAR Grand Prix, May 9-11, on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road circuit in Speedway, IN.