Track Talk's own, Victor Genova sat down with Indy Car driver Sebastien Bourdais to talk about the Grand Prix of Portland and all things racing.
VG: Six top-10 finishes and a podium at Barber Motorsports Park, how would you rate your season to-date?
SB: I'd say it's been a little average as far as performance. We had a lot of stuff happen that don't help you much to score a lot of points. We’ve had good opportunities and for one reason or another we couldn’t conclude the deal and get more podiums. So in that respect a little disappointing but you know just plugging away and trying to finish strong.
VG: The next road course is the Grand Prix of Portland, best part about racing in Portland?
SB: I'd say just the event in general. The fans are really cool. They were so excited last year that we were back and they came in big numbers. It's just the area and the track. Nothing that's super super crazy exciting about the track but it’s a little flowy track that kind of ties together and is fun to drive. It's just the whole thing. I had been coming to Portland for many years before in Champ Cars and I've not been there for over 10 years. But the enthusiasm is just the same. It's going to keep growing.
VG: That leads me into my next question. You have two wins and two podiums at Portland from your Champ Car days, anything you can draw on from these experiences for the race?
SB: Not really. Obviously we can draw a lot more from last year's race and last year’s setup with the way things run. Every car is particular and every series is different and your position changes obviously but the overall level of competition has gone up significantly.
VG: Where’s the best place to pass at Portland International Raceway?
SB: There's one place where you have to be strong. It’s the last corner where you give yourself a chance to outbreak someone going through the chicane in the first turn. There are very few opportunities after that. The reconfiguration of the back of the track as it's going to open more and more I would say, but it's also pretty difficult to make it stick and end up holding the position through the back straight. So the best shot is still turn one.
VG: How does Sebastian Bourdais stay sharp when he isn’t racing?
SB: You try to keep driving as much as you can, which I do with parallel programs through IMSA and other series. And then I'm a pretty avid cyclist when I’m not traveling like we are right now. I would like to spend a lot more time on the bike and go around looking for trails.
VG: A couple of rapid-fire questions. Is there a track from your time in Europe that you’d love to test an IndyCar on?
SB: The obvious that comes to mind is Spa (in Belgium). It’s a heck of a racetrack, and we’d definitely put on a show over there.
VG: What’s your daily driver?
SB: Acura MDX.
VG: Top Gear or The Grand Tour?
SB: The Grand Tour.
