F1 switch for Sebastien Bourdais was right!

FOUR-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais says the reunification of US open-wheel racing has convinced him he was right to switch to Formula One.

The Frenchman, who is expected to make his F1 debut with Toro Rosso in Melbourne in two weeks, said the merger with the Indy Racing League had killed the series he once dominated.

"It is not a merger, it is the death of Champ Car and the IRL taking over, the schedules, cars, everything," Bourdais said after F1 testing in Spain.

Bourdais said the agreement to reunite the series 30 days before the IRL season started left Champ Car teams no time to prepare.

"It is a disaster for Champ Car teams," Bourdais said.

"Even if they work on the cars now, the season is going to be over by the time they start to be half-competitive.

"Formula One was the right thing for me to do. I would not have been a contender in any way this year (in America)."

The two series announced last week they were reuniting 12 years after the former CART championship split, with Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George forming the IRL, which had the rights to the high-profile Indy 500.

- Reuters

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pic 1: Sebastien Bourdais standing at the Toro Rosso caravan
pic 2: Sebastien Bourdais head shot (yellow helmet)

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pic 1: Sebastien Bourdais Toro Rosso testing in Jerez
pic 2: Sebastien Bourdais Torro Rosso