Zonda

MONTEREY, Calif. (March 10, 2007) - The Champ Car World Series is known around the world as the American interpretation of Formula 1-style racing, but today a Champ Car driver in the brand-new Panoz DP01 chassis raised the bar on anything a F1 car had ever done at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Three-time and defending Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais (#1 McDonald's Cosworth/Panoz/Bridgestone) demolished the existing track record at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca with 10 minutes left in today's final test session, with his time of 1:05.880 (122.295 mph) breaking the mark set in 2006 by Ricardo Zonta in the Toyota F1 machine when it came over to turn some laps as part of the Monterey Historics Festival.

Bourdais not only broke the record but became the first driver ever to run a lap around the fabled California layout in less than 66 seconds. For his efforts, Bourdais and his Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing squad were awarded $5,000 by Champ Car for breaking the F1 record.

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Toyota's old record: 1:07.587

I'm sure a F2007 could beat that but this should be a wake up call for the FIA. Champ car should be alot more than ~1 year behind F1 in technology and speed. Maybe it's about time the regulations are changed to increase the speed

Imhotep Evil

BS marketing.

1. Toyota ain't exactly a top team.
2. An exibition car and isn't minutiously pepared/customised for the specifiactons of the track like in actuall F1 GP racing.
3. An F1 evolves in a year, thus at the end of the year the car can be 2 seconds faster per lap than the begining.


Even considering a flag lap as segnifcative of a F1 car's potential is non sense.

But yes the V8s suck.

Zonda

Still, they shouldn't be able to top the Toyota's time anyway, imo.

NarutoRamen

While they shouldn't be able to top toyota's time...you guys are forgetting that the Toyota in race distance was almost 1minute behind the front runners. Plus, Ricardo Zonta isn't the best of drivers either...I'd be more surprised if let's say the record was set by Renault, McLaren or Ferrari that was broken.

But either way..I do agree with you guys...WAKE THE HELL UP FIA!!!!

siko

When is a F1 team going to wake up and give Bourdais a shot.

I'm sorry, but this guy should be driving in F1... and considering he's French, Renault should have signed him instead of slowpoke Fisi.

Eitherway, who had made the F1 record... Zonta in a Toyota or something!? Who cares.

And ChampCar is more than 1 year behind... especially in terms of safety. Plus there are far less restrictions in ChampCar.

Imhotep Evil

They're kind of not in the best relations. And Renault is an anglo-french team. English car with a french engine. Renault F1 is esentially the former Benetton/former Toleman team.

Over Fisico I agree.

siko

True, but at the end of the days, it's the French that are flipping the bill.

I think the main problem is Briatore, they mostly end up signing driver he manages.

Imhotep Evil

The main problem is that they're cheap. Renault doesn't have the budget of the japanese and germans and would have never paid Alonso or Kimi the salary they get at McMerc/Ferrari.

siko

Perhaps, but I don't believe Bourdais would command a huge salary.