GOLD COAST, Australia (AFP) - Formula One-bound Sebastien Bourdais made history when he won his fourth consecutive Champ Car title with a commanding victory in the Gold Coast Indy 300 on Sunday.

The Frenchman also became the first ever repeat winner of the Australian leg of the series, cruising to victory 6.776 seconds ahead of Englishman Justin Wilson, with Bruno Junqueira of Brazil more than 24 seconds further back.

Bourdais started in third place on the grid in his Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing car and bided his time as a succession of drivers led the race through the opening laps on the streets of Surfers Paradise.

Pole setter Will Power, who grew up in Toowoomba, 150 kilometres inland from the Gold Coast, charged into the lead and looked set to make amends for crashing out of this race in the previous two years.

But disaster struck at the end of a routine pit stop on lap 17 when Power's crew waved him out and straight into the path of Mexican rookie David Martinez.

Power clipped the Mexican's rear tyre, damaging his steering and forcing him back into the pits.

When he emerged he had dropped to 16th, but worse was to come.

In a desperate bid to try and get back up towards the front, Power locked his brakes while trying to pass Englishwoman Katherine Legge and crashed into the wall.

"It was just a misunderstanding," Power said of the incident in the pit lane.

"They didn't realise someone was coming and sent me straight into another car and I bent my steering rod.

"I'm really disappointed -- a lot of people came out to see me and I'm just sorry for them I didn't finish the race."

There were no such problems for Bourdais, who hit the front on the 23rd lap and, apart from a brief stint in second when Wilson led, controlled the rest of the field.

His job was made easier when Spaniard Oriol Servia had suspension problems while running second and matching Bourdais on times.

Bourdais, who will drive for the Toro Rosso team in the 2008 Formula One season, crashed during qualifying on Friday, but said the incident had little impact on his race.

"This is sweet -- very, very sweet," he said. "I knew everything was going to happen on Saturday, but obviously it was a setback -- you know you crash the car and you lose a bit of confidence.

"But (the crew) are the greatest group of people I could work with."

Wilson, who was closing on Bourdais at one stage late in the race, said he had been confident of catching the Frenchman but had to slow down when he started having brake and tyre problems.

The hard luck story belonged to Canadian veteran Paul Tracy, who was running third with a lap to go but had to pull in for fuel when his crew informed him he would run out halfway through the last lap. He eventually finished ninth.

The final race will be in Mexico City on November 11.