After a less than spectacular start to the season, Sebastien Bourdais will be looking for a strong performance at this weekend's Belgian grand prix.

Pressure is mounting on the Frenchman as Toro Rosso bosses look to the 2009 lineup, with Sebastian Vettel bound for Red Bull's senior team in 2009.

"He is now in the situation where he has to prove his talents," commented team co-owner and ten time grand prix winner Gerhard Berger.

Impressive in the opening race in Melbourne, 29-year-old Bourdais has subsequently struggled to compete with Vettel, his young teammate.

"Every weekend is going to be different," said the former four-time Champ Car title winner, who finished seventh on debut in Australia, at the time. "If people had asked me to sign for that, I would have."

His tenth place at Valencia two weeks ago, however, was his best result then.

On the same Spanish street circuit, Bourdais was again overshadowed by Vettel, who claimed 3 points after arguably the drive of the weekend to sixth.

The result means Vettel has 9 points in the drivers' championship compared with Bourdais' 2.

Berger admits that, in order for Bourdais to stay in formula one, he must impress not only him but also those at Red Bull.

"At the end of the day the last word will come from Red Bull, because that is where we get all our resources from," the Austrian says.

Source: GMM