Bourdais hoping for Renault test

Bourdais, who clinched his second consecutive title last weekend, revealed that he will stay with his Newman-Haas team next season, but the Frenchman has already set his sights on racing in Formula One in 2007.

For the first time in 40 years, the season started without a French driver on the grid, despite the country having the best team this year in Renault, who clinched both titles.

Bourdais said there has been no contact with Renault yet, but the Frenchman is hoping things will change next season.

"Obviously, Renault is a French company, but it's also a multi-national company," said Bourdais. "It's got markets all over the world and they probably have interest to have non-French drivers. So far I think they showed that they were right. Would I have been to be able achieve that? I have no idea, I have never been handed the chance.

"All I can ask for right now is to try and start the relationship in 2006 with the team, try to test a few times which is going to be added in my contract, and to start in 2007.

"So far nothing really happened and all I can say is I am pretty successful and happy in Champ Cars, and there's not much I can do about not being handed an opportunity in F1. So we'll see what the future comes up with."

The 26-year old reckons he has less than two years left if he wants to make the switch to Formula One.

"In 2007 obviously it will probably be my last chance to make it to F1 and I'd very much like to make the jump, but in the meantime, if I don't, that's going to be a great challenge ahead of me and a lot of teams to try and develop this car and win something different and the beginning of probably a new era.

"Both scenarios are going to be a great challenge for me in 2007."