Sebastien Bourdais says Katherine Legge has to earn the job

UPDATE #2 Bourdais just tweeted saying he was misquoted and really said Sonoma, not Fontana.

02/16/13

Legge says Bourdais is lying

Katherine Legge on Saturday disputed former teammate Sebastien Bourdais' version of her termination from Dragon Racing, saying Bourdais' claim that she tested poorly at Fontana is a "complete and utter fabrication."

Legge told The Associated Press she has not been in a race car since the IndyCar season finale at Fontana in September – a direct contradiction of what Bourdais contends.

Bourdais told ESPN.com on Friday that Legge was "just weak" in a December test, and her showing played a part in Dragon and sponsor TrueCar's decision to part with the English driver.

"If Sebastian Bourdais actually made this statement, I can only think that someone has fed him this misinformation which he has repeated without checking the facts," Legge said.

Legge also said that all tests must be approved by IndyCar per series rules, so series officials can confirm whether she tested at Fontana. Miami Herald/AP

02/16/13 Sebastien Bourdais said Friday that Dragon Racing and sponsor True Car "made the tough decision to go a different way" in replacing teammate Katherine Legge this week, but said "at some point you've got to earn" the job.

Dragon announced the signing of 22-year-old Sebastian Saavedra as Legge's replacement on Tuesday.

Legge, 32, joined Jay Penske's team last year as part of a multi-year deal funded by True Car's "Women Empowered" program that fields females in multiple race regimens.

She posted an average finish of 19.4 in 10 races this past season as the team struggled to field cars while dealing with an ill-fated engine agreement with Lotus. Legge's best finish was ninth at the season-ending race at Fontana.

Bourdais said that while he didn't involve himself in personnel matters he "knew the team's position." The four-time Champ Car champion also said Legge had performed poorly in a December test — ironically at Fontana.

"She's done what she could and then the performance in Fontana was just weak and the team just made the tough decision to go a different way — and the sponsor," Bourdais said. "Not my decision. For sure, at some point you've got to earn it. It's a tough sport, like any professional sport. You have a lot of competition. I've read some comments … you shouldn't get an opportunity because of your gender. You should get an opportunity because you deserve it and on your talent. It's the way sport is, it's the way it should be. Simona [de Silvestro] deserves that ride at KV [Racing]. There's nothing against females in the sport. It's a tough sport for everybody."

Legge, in an email distributed to media, has threatened legal action and claimed she is still the rightful driver of the car. Espn.com