Bourdais Qualifies 11th for Grand Prix of Sonoma

Sebastien Bourdais Qualifying Summary:
Sebastien Bourdais, behind the wheel of the No. 18 Team SealMaster – Dale Coyne Racing w/ Vasser-Sullivan car, qualified 11th for tomorrow’s Grand Prix of Sonoma at Sonoma Raceway. Bourdais went out in Group 2 in the first round of qualifying and recorded the sixth fastest lap and therefore advanced to Round 2. In the second round, he logged the 11th fastest time and will grid on the inside of Row 6 tomorrow.

Sebastien Bourdais Qualifying Quote:
“On the blacks (primary Firestone tire) the SealMaster Honda No. 18 is pretty solid in comparison to everybody else. On the red (alternative) tires we simply don’t have it. The gap to the guys in front is big. We also got caught in traffic. There were just too many things wrong for us to make it today. We’ll take a look at the data and see what we can come with for tomorrow.

Fast Facts:

• Bourdais has qualified in the top five six times and top10 nine times with one pole in 16 qualifying sessions this season (the grid at last weekend’s race at Gateway Motorsports Park was set by points due to inclement weather).
• Bourdais captured the pole at Phoenix, qualified third for the INDYCAR Grand Prix and at Barber, fifth for the Indianapolis 500 and at Texas, sixth at Road America, eighth at Pocono and ninth at Long Beach.
• In eight qualifying attempts at Sonoma, Bourdais has a best qualifying spot of third in 2012.
• In seventh previous starts at Sonoma, Bourdais has a best starting position of third in 2012. He has finished in the top 10 five times with a best showing of third also in2012.
• This is the sixth time Bourdais has reach the second round of road/street course qualifying. He has made the Firestone Fast Six fourth times.
• Bourdais is ninth in the championship standings with 369 points. He is just nine points out of eighth, 22 out of seventh and 59 out of sixth with one race remaining but double points awarded.
• Bourdais has scored seven top-10 finishes with five top-five showings and two podium performances. (Won at St. Petersburg, third at Portland, fourth in the INDYCAR GP and Pocono, fifth at Barber, sixth at Mid-Ohio and eighth at Texas).
• Bourdais is contesting his 13th Verizon IndyCar Series season, third with Dale Coyne Racing and first with Dale Coyne Racing w/ Vasser-Sullivan.
• The 2018 Grand Prix of Sonoma will be Bourdais’ 188th Verizon IndyCar Series start and sixth at Portland International Raceway.
• In 187 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, 39, is a native of Le Mans, France but resides in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Broadcast Times: 
Round 17, the finale of the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series, will be the Grand Prix of Sonoma, September 14-16, at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, CA.. The race will be broadcast live on NBCSN at 6:30 p.m. ET.  It is also available on radio: XM 209 and IMS IndyCar Radio as well as online: IndyCar.com and Verizon IndyCar 15 app.