Bourdais: It’s not a merger, it’s the death of Champcar!

Sébastien Bourdais, four-time Champ Car World Series champion and now a Toro Rosso Formula 1 driver, has expressed pessimism about the future of the teams in his former championship after the recent merger between the IRL and Champ Car.

The two main North American single-seater championships have recently announced their merger, which will take effect in 2008. Clearly, the IRL (Indian Racing League) has gained the upper hand over the other championship, and Bourdais believes that this merger will greatly harm the former teams present in Champcar.

At present, only five have accepted the merger, mostly partnering with other teams already in the IRL. For the French driver, it is the decision made too late that will bother many people.

« We all knew this would happen sooner or later, but announcing it just 30 days before the start of the season is late…

« In my opinion, this is not a merger, it’s the death of Champ Car and the IRL is taking over everything… the schedules, the cars, everything. »

The former Newman/Hass/Lanigan driver also commented on finding the decision very late. « With all due respect to Kevin Kalkhoven [Champcar Director], I think he could have made this decision at the end of last year and avoided leaving the teams and an entire world in these conditions… »

Bourdais will start his 2008 season with Toro Rosso next weekend in Australia for the first GP of the year and his first in the top category of motorsport.