LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill.--Newman/Haas Racing (NHR)
announced today that Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais, 23, will join Brazilian
driver Bruno Junqueira at the team in 2003. NHR will attempt to earn its fifth
CART Champ car title in this season's Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World
Series Powered by Ford racing series.
"Paul (Newman) and I are very pleased to welcome Sebastien to our
team," said Carl A. Haas, co-owner of Newman/Haas Racing with actor/racecar
driver Paul Newman. "From the first test with Sebastien, he has shown that
he can work well in our environment. We believe that Bruno and Sebastien have
the ability to win many races and fight for another Championship."
Bourdais earned the 2002 FIA Formula 3000 Championship on the strength of
three wins and six pole positions as well as a total of seven podium
appearances. Also in 2002, he competed in the FIA Sport Championship where he
won two races and one pole position en route to a second place finish in the
standings and was part of the winning team in the 24 Hours of Spa. A native of
Le Mans, France, Bourdais began racing karts at the age of 12 and steadily
progressed from the French Formula Renault series to French Formula Three where
he won the championship in 1999. He then moved to the Formula 3000 series and
won the championship in his third season of competition before moving to the
CART Champ car series.
"To move to a new series is exciting but to do it with a team that won
the championship the previous season is the best opportunity to succeed,"
said Bourdais, who will reside in Miami, Fla. during the season. "Since the
first test, I have felt comfortable with the team and with Bruno and it can only
improve as we spend more time together. I am excited about being a driver for
Newman/Haas Racing."
