Sebastien Bourdais Claims that Money Can Buy His Ride

Sebastien Bourdais has today come up with some interesting little gems, that somehow to me smack slightly of sour grapes, although I can't really read the situation. 

After the recent test, labelled as a 'shoot-out' for the STR drive for next year, Seb has claimed that the drive will go to the person who brings the most money to the team rather than the most talented driver.

"As long as they don't have the money to run the team in a proper way they won't be able to say (who will drive in 2009), because it doesn't matter whether you have talented drivers at the wheel of the car if you can't run the car," Said Seb

Takuma Sato, a veteran of 93 grands prix with Jordan, BAR and Super Aguri, who was involved in the 'shoot-out' is believed to be offering a substantial purse of personal sponsorship should he be appointed for 2009, a move that would help the STR team move forward.

The French driver said anybody "who has got talent and money today is a potential candidate."

"If nobody is able to assemble enough solid funding I guess—from what Franz (Tost) is saying—I am No. 1 on the list because to change two drivers in a team is always a tough thing to do, and that is not their preferred solution, for sure."

I personally find this an intriguing claim, especially as STR were on the up and up at the end of last season. Surely going down the 'Rent-a-Driver' route is a thoroughly retrograde step, and although the team was up for sale during the year, Mateshitz will supply enough funding to get the best drivers available?

However, perhaps Sato, who I personally rate as a driver, will take the team forward, especially if he does bring some cash as well as his experience to the team.

The best newsletter on the web