15 février, 2006

Paul Newman m'a écrit !


Voilà plus d'un an que j'ai commencé la rédaction d'un livre qui sera la première biographie du pilote français Sébastien Bourdais. Depuis, mon confrère Henri Suzeau m'a rejoint et nous sommes actuellement en train de démarcher les éditeurs.

Quelle bonne surprise, en tout cas, de découvrir ce matin un mail de Sébastien nous faisant passer une préface originale signée par Paul Newman ! Oui, Paul Newman, l'acteur, la légende d'Hollywood ! (Vous savez peut-être qu'il est le co-propriétaire de l'équipe qui fait courir Sébastien en Champ Car...). Ca fait plaisir !

Sébastien a joint ce petit commentaire : "Paul m'a envoyé la preface... c'est plein d'humour qui sera assez difficile à traduire mais je vous laisse juges. En tout cas, c'est lui tout craché !!!"

En exclusivité pour ce blog, voici donc le texte original en VO de Mr Newman himself !

"In 1979 I drove a 935 Porsche in the 24 Hours of LeMans and was fortunate to be on the team that finished second overall. Patrick Bourdais, a racer, a resident of LeMans, and his three month old son, Sebastien, had watched most of the race and were both following the post-race festivities on television. While we were on the podium a French citizen, who was both a race fan and philanthropist, handed me a full and uncorked bottle of Chateau Margeaux 1966. I held it aloft and shouted, “Viva Bordeaux!” Sebastien, even at three months, was both bilingual and accustomed to American bastardization of pronunciation, shouted at the television set, “Not Bordeaux, Bourdais, you dummy! And I will race for you one day and show you how to do it.”

Show us he did.

After several seasons in Formula 3000, he came to the United States in 2003 and to Newman Haas Racing. His first year he won Champ Car Rookie of the Year. In 2004, he not only improved his English, he had 8 poles, 10 podium finishes and was the Champ Car World Series Champion. In 2005 he learned to swear and he had five poles, six wins, the Championship again, and proved that Formula One’s oversight was our good fortune.

He is loved by the sponsors, adored by his crew, and approved by all the banks.

After his Christmas hiatus in France this year, on his return to us for the 2006 season, he brought me a bottle of 1970 Lafitte. I held it aloft as before and, having learned nothing, shouted “Viva Bordeaux!” to which he replied, “Bourdais! You dummy!”

And rightly so."

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