[TSRF]

When Bruno Junqueira joined the Newman-Hass team, there was little doubt that he was going to win the CART championship running away. The Players team had Tracy but Junk had Tony Cicale as an engineer and the well-funded backing of a fat sponsor.
Problem is, the second seat was offered to a young Frenchman, Sebastien Bourdais, fresh from a F3000 title and a good placing at Le Mans.
Then, Junk nightmare began: out-qualified, out-smarted by Bourdais in his sophomore season, he started making mistakes, and committed blunder after blunder and instead of concentrating on winning a championship, tried to best his team mate.
I guess 2004 and his Champ Car season have really shown Bruno as what he is: fast indeed, but not so smart. The Denver race and his post-race comments show a very frustrated person.
I would bet that he is going to be very unemployed next year. What do you think?

 

[Dennis David]

I think he needs to learn French.

 

[Wankel Ickx]

Er? I mean, if he was a cert' to win the championship then by definition he had to beat his team mate, didn't he?

Kinda sounds more like he's run up against someone with more inate speed to me.

I don't follow the US open wheel stuff much but heard that one of them (I'm too confused by the two options so don't ask me which acronym it is!) is going back to proper circuits with right and left turns through the countryside next year.

Sadly, I believe they are also going to go back to the street circuits, too.

Has Bourdais been getting places and strong results or just out-qualifying his superior?

 

[58fury]

You can't take anything away from Bourdais. That kid can drive! He was incredible in Denver this past weekend. He left the 100,000 or so fans for the weekend with big smiles. I think Bruno took a cheap hit on Bourdais on turn one. A sure sign of frustration maybe?

 

[TSRF]

QUOTE Has Bourdais been getting places and strong results or just out-qualifying his superior?

Sebastien is running away with the championship with 4 wins so far to Tracy's 2 if i recall. In most cases he set pole.

Junqueira was of course Williams test driver until loaned by Williams to Ganassi, and when Ganassi went to IRL Junk joined Newman-Haas. He appears a bit pretentious and always frustrated when interviewed, a clear contrast with Sebastien who does prove that you can be both French and kind. As a Spaniard mostly raised in Frankreich, I can tell you that it is more unusual than normal practice.

Doc Pea

 

[Fergy]

Or... in more succinct terms.... Bourdais is a class act, Junqueira is a prima-donna...

I'm glad the class act is winning!

 

[Wankel Ickx]

I always find these kind of situations interesting; when one guy, who you expect to be good, and who by the dint of earning his drive is clearly no journeyman, can't hack it as well as A. N. Other.

Like when Andretti jnr came to F1 and floundered, or when Mansell (okay, he may have eaten too many pies) went back to save McLaren.