Bourdais surprised he got called to race
MADISON, Ill. — Sebastien Bourdais was a little surprised when he got the call asking if he wanted to race at Gateway Motorsports Park.
“Yeah, that was kind of late (asking if) we could do that,” Bourdais said Friday about the Wednesday night phone call. “But no, it’s just really good to come back, and really looking forward to it.”
The fact that the 38-year-old IndyCar driver is back at all this season is a bit of a surprise after he fractured his pelvis and right hip May 20 in an accident in qualifying for the Indianapolis 500.
The Frenchman’s rapid recovery gives him his seat back for the final three races of the season, which started Saturday night at Gateway. He was actually cleared to race earlier this month, but Dale Coyne Racing allowed replacement driver Esteban Gutierrez to drive last weekend at Pocono Raceway.
“That’s really the whole thing for me, to get back in the saddle, obviously, prove to everybody that nothing has changed, that I’m still the same guy, plus a little bit of hardware, but that’s another thing,” Bourdais said. “And at the end of the day, just get back in the groove and, yeah, just go racing.”
Bourdais qualified 19th Friday night. As for what will happen in the race, Bourdais didn’t have any answers. He tested his car at Mid-Ohio at the end of July, but hadn’t been on the track competitively until Friday.
The four-time series champion won the season-opening race this year at St. Petersburg, Florida.
Hamilton equals Schumacher’s record
On a track loved by Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton equaled the Formula One great’s record by securing a 68th pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday.
“It’s a special day, definitely,” Hamilton said. “I feel very proud to be up there with him.”
The Mercedes driver was in great form on the Spa circuit, leading through qualifying to finish 0.242 seconds clear of rival Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari.
Schumacher, who won a record seven F1 titles and 91 race wins, also holds the record for wins in Spa with six.