Planet-F1

Bourdais crashes new STR

Wednesday 16th April 2008

Sebastien Bourdais was left red-faced on Wednesday after wrecking Toro Rosso's new car on its maiden appearance.

The team unveiled the STR3, a car they are hoping will make its full debut at next month's Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul.

But Frenchman Bourdais, four-times Champ Car champion in his debut season in Formula One, crashed into a barrier late on in the third day of this week's test at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya.

The damage means team-mate Sebastian Vettel will be unable to use the new car in the final test day on Thursday, and will instead take to the track in the older version.

Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost summed up Bourdais' accident by stating: "He simply went too fast."

The 29-year-old finished the day eighth quickest of the 10 drivers in action, completing 71 laps, with his best a one minute 20.715 seconds.