Bourdais looking for a strong showing in St. Pete

Sebastien Bourdais

KVSH Racing driver Sebastien Bourdais will be looking to start the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series season with a strong showing in his “hometown" this weekend in the season opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Bourdais, who for the second season will campaign in the Hydroxycut and Mistic E-Cigs liveries, will pilot the No. 11 Team HYDROXYCUT – KVSH Racing Chevrolet/Dallara/Firestone entry on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn St. Petersburg temporary street circuit.

Bourdais, who is contesting his 10th IndyCar season, is the only driver to win four consecutive Indy car championships (2004 -2007 in Champ Car).

“I am looking forward to the start of the 2015 Versizon IndyCar Series season," Bourdais said. “We have had a long time off and it will be good to be back racing in the #11 Hydroxycut – KVSH Racing Chevrolet car. We have had some good tests during the off-season and collected some valuable data, but you never know how you stack up until you are on the track when it counts. I wish we would have had more time with the new aero kits, but it is the same for everyone."

Bourdais has already started 2015 strong having just won the 12 Hours of Sebring giving Chevrolet it first win in that event in 50 years (also finished second in the 24 Hours of Daytona, which he won in 2014).

Commenting on the win at Sebring, Bourdais said, “It was awesome to get the win at the 12 Hours of Sebring, especially since it was the first win for Chevrolet in 50 years and this place has been pretty mean to me many times. Winning in Prototype with a lap on the field, doesn’t happen very many often. It’s a good way to start 2015, but I don’t believe in momentum. You still have to go out there, do the work and keep your nose to the grindstone. That is what we are doing at KVSH Racing and hopefully, the hard work will pay off like it did for Action Express Racing at Sebring."

The 36-year-old from Le Mans, France, will be making his 132nd career IndyCar start and fifth in St. Petersbrug where he resides with his wife and two children. Bourdais made his Indy car debut (in CART) at St. Petersburg on February 23, 2003 and has recorded one pole (2003) and a best finish of 11th in 2003 and 2013.

“St. Petersburg is my home race, but unfortunately, other than a pole in my first race (2003), I haven’t really had the success I would have liked," Bourdais said. “We had a good race going last year and I think we were in a position to finish in the top four or five, but things just didn’t go our way. I don’t feel any additional pressure to do well in St. Petersburg…bit it’s nice to be able to sleep in my own bed and have friends and family at the track."

Bourdais is coming off his best season since returning to IndyCar competition in 2011. He won his first race since his return (and first Indy car race since 2007 at Toronto in Race 1 and captured two poles, the first since his return and first Indy car poles since 2007 (Toronto Race No. 1 and Mid-Ohio). He has won 32 races (eighth all-time) and earned 33 poles (tied for seventh all-time). Bourdais competed in Formula One from 2008 – 2009 and has an impressive endurance racing record including the victories at the 2015 12 Hours of Sebring and the 2014 Rolex 24-Hour at Daytona.

The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, March 27-29, will be broadcast live on ABC starting at 3:00 p.m. ET. It will also be on XM 209, IMS IndyCar Radio affiliates, plus IndyCar.com and the Verizon INDYCAR 15 app.