Bourdais not prepared to risk title advantage.
Sebastien Bourdais cursed the rain that he claims prevented him from taking provisional pole position around Road America, the Newman/Haas driver instead having to settle for fifth place in a changeable qualifying session.
Indeed, Bourdais, who can claim his third consecutive Champ Car World Series title this weekend, insists his car was quickest in both the wet and the dry but lost out in the changeable conditions where risk took precedence over an ideal set-up.
Sebastien Bourdais cursed the rain that he claims prevented him from taking provisional pole position around Road America, the Newman/Haas driver instead having to settle for fifth place in a changeable qualifying session.
Indeed, Bourdais, who can claim his third consecutive Champ Car World Series title this weekend, insists his car was quickest in both the wet and the dry but lost out in the changeable conditions where risk took precedence over an ideal set-up.
The Frenchman was therefore slightly frustrated to have ended the session in fifth place, although he admitted that he was not prepared to risk his position with slick tyres with regards to his championship hopes.
"In these conditions when the track is drying in some parts you need to try something risky which was to put slicks (tires) on. Myself, A.J. and Justin couldn't afford to try anything risky with the championship situation.
"The McDonald's car was fastest in the wet and probably the dry also but in these changing conditions on the track it was a gamble. It's annoying but it's what you have to deal with."
