By GMM

Sebastian Bourdais' high-speed crash during Barcelona testing on Wednesday was caused by driver error, Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost has revealed.

Sébastien Bourdais

The Frenchman's off at the Campsa corner (turn 9) not only prematurely ended the Faenza based team's scheduled two day session at Circuit de Catalunya, it may have completely written off the first STR3 single seater as it was being tested properly for the first time.

Toro Rosso may now have to delay the car's intended debut in Turkey in two races time, as engineers investigate whether the first Red Bull Technology-designed monocoque has been damaged irreparably, the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport said.

Telemetry showed that Bourdais was travelling at 253kmh when it left the right-hand curve and skipped over the gravel trap towards the tyre barriers.

"He was going simply too fast," Tost said. "This can happen; it is part of motor racing."


Photo Credit : GEPA pictures/ Franz Pammer