Sébastien Bourdais will begin his first ever Formula One season with the Toro Rosso team in 2008 after spending five fantastic years in the Champ Car series. "It was only happiness and great memories," stated the French driver.

Named best rookie in 2003, Bourdais went on to secure four consecutive titles between 2004 and 2007 with the Newman Haas Lanigan Racing team and signed some of the best performances of the series.

"To this day, those were the best years of my life, be it in private or in motorsports," said 28-year-old Bourdais. "I married Clare and we had Emma. I arrived as a semi-professional bachelor. I emerge as a man, a father, and a professional of my sport."

One of the co-owners of his former American team is Paul Newman, whom Bourdais considers as his "spiritual grandfather." The new Toro Rosso driver maintains a privileged relationship with the 82-year-old actor, who particularly appreciates the Frenchman. Newman even made a surprise appearance at Bourdais' wedding a year and a half ago.

"That was unexpected and surprising, he took a liking to us. We have done incredible and unanticipated things with Paul, like spending Thanksgiving with him and going to Daytona. It was a bit surreal, because we don't tend to think that icons like him can be like everyone else," Bourdais explained.

"We keep in touch. We call each other and it has already been planned that he will come to a Grand Prix. We'll keep in contact whatever happens," he added.

The only French race driver in Formula One said he will now tackle the long-awaited F1 challenge with "serenity but also with maturity and experience."

"When the doors did not open following my F3000 title in 2002, I was not offended. I knew the rules," Bourdais related. "I took the Champ Car gamble because I wanted to remain in a single-seater. I don't regret it. I enriched my experience and lived fantastic years."

"However, even if you have talent and deserve a seat, this is not a sport where merit is always rewarded. There has to be an opportunity and there aren't fifty of them. I knew that even if I won everything on the way, there was no guarantee," he stated.

Sébastien Bourdais knows however that his first season with the Toro Rosso team will not be easy: "We do not have a winning car but it can get into the points often enough and I believe that will be the objective this year."

"We must grow together and see what happens," Bourdais concluded, very conscious of the expectations surrounding him.