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Bourdais wins 2005 title in style

Sebastien Bourdais of France powers his Newman-Haas Ford-Cosworth through the chicanes during the warm-up for the Indy 300 championship in Surfers Paradise on Australia's Gold Coast, yesterday. Bourdais only had to start the race to secure the 2005 world championship title, yet he went on to win the event. PHOTO: AFP

Sebastien Bourdais picked a classy way to ensure the No. 1 decal stayed on his car for another Champ Car season.

Bourdais clinched his second straight title in the open-wheel series simply by starting Sunday's Lexmark Indy 300 on the streets of Surfers Paradise.

He then went out and won the race after avoiding an opening-lap, first-turn crash involving pole sitter and Newman/Haas teammate Oriol Servia.

"I really wanted to clinch the championship with a win, and win it in style," said Bourdais.

He needed just one point to take the 2005 championship and achieved that simply by starting the race, guaranteeing him at least a last-place finish and a point to win consecutive titles -- and giving him the right to have No. 1 again emblazoned on his car for 2006.

The 26-year-old Bourdais overtook early leader Paul Tracy with the help of an excellent first pit change and held on to win the 57-lap race on the 4.47km temporary street circuit.

As Bourdais came around the final turn, he stuck one arm in the air in celebration. Newman/Haas team co-owner Carl Haas stood and clapped in the pits with his trademark cigar in his mouth.

Bourdais finished in 1 hour, 39 minutes, 26.671 seconds in an average speed of 154.695kph.

It was the event's 15th different winner since John Andretti won the inaugural race in 1991.

American A.J. Allmendinger was second Sunday, 9.13 seconds behind, followed by 1996 winner Jimmy Vasser in third and Canadian Alex Tagliani, driving the Team Australia entry, in fourth.

It's the first time the Newman/Haas team, owned by actor Paul Newman and former racer Haas, has had back-to-back series winners in its 23-year history.

It was Bourdais' fifth win in his last six races, and 16th overall in 44 starts. He has finished all 12 races on the 2005 schedule, a feat achieved by only four drivers since 1956, most recently Vasser in 1996.

Tracy, who started fifth, passed Bourdais during the first-turn accident between Servia and Cristiano da Matta, going inside the field to avoid the crash and pass Bourdais, who was in the front row.
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