IndyCar: Sebastien Bourdais to return to Dale Coyne Racing in 2019

By Asher Fair | Sep 16, 2018

SONOMA, CA - SEPTEMBER 15: Sebastien Bourdais, driver of the #18 Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan Honda, on track during qualifying for the Verizon IndyCar Series Sonoma Grand Prix at Sonoma Raceway on September 15, 2018 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Jonathan Moore/Getty Images) /

Four-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais is set to return to Dale Coyne Racing as the driver of the #18 Honda in the 2019 IndyCar season.

Sebastien Bourdais is set to return to Dale Coyne Racing on a new two-year contract in the 2019 IndyCar season as the driver of the #18 Honda. He drove part-time for the team behind the wheel of the #19 Honda in the 2011 season, and he returned to the team as a full-time driver in the 2017 season. He has driven for them ever since.

In the 2011 season, the four-time Champ Car champion competed in nine of the season’s 17 races as a part-time driver. Last year, he only competed in eight of the 17 races on the schedule as a result of the fact that a nasty wreck in Indianapolis 500 qualifying left him with several broken bones and sidelined him for nine races.

Coming into this season, Bourdais, who drove full-time for Newman/Haas Racing in Champ Car from the 2003 season through the 2007 season and won four consecutive championships from 2004 to 2007, had only ever competed in every race on the IndyCar schedule four times in his eight-year career in the sport.

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The 39-year-old Le Mans, France native drove full-time for Dragon Racing in the 2013 season before driving full-time for KV Racing Technology in the 2014 ad 2015 seasons and KVSH Racing in the 2016 season.

Assuming he competes in today’s IndyCar Grand Prix of Sonoma, the 2018 season finale, at Sonoma Raceway, the 2018 season, his ninth career season in the sport, will be the fifth season during which Bourdais has competed in every race on the schedule.

Bourdais qualified in 11th place for this race. He enters it sitting in ninth place in the championship standings. His top career finishes in the IndyCar championship standings are 10th place finishes, which he recorded in the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

In 33 career races driving for Dale Coyne Racing, Bourdais has earned two victories. He won the season openers on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida in both the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

In 114 career IndyCar races, Bourdais has earned six victories, 12 podium finishes and three pole positions to go along with the 31 victories, 44 podium finishes and 31 pole positions that he earned in 73 races over the course of his Champ Car career. His career win total of 37 ranks sixth on the all-time wins list, and his career championship total of four is tied for second place on the all-time titles list.

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How will Sebastien Bourdais perform in what is set to be his third season as a full-time driver for Dale Coyne Racing in the 2019 IndyCar season? How many races will he win and where will he finish in the championship standings?