Robert Kubica (32) will test for Williams after the Abu Dhabi GP.
The German Sauber driver Pascal Wehrlein is still convinced that he still has a chance to drive for Williams in 2018 despite substantial rumours that Kubica has secured the seat with a 2 year deal in place. Indeed both Kubica, Wehrlein and young Russian Sergey Sirotkin are all to test for Williams in Abu Dhabi after the GP this weekend.
Recently crowned drivers champion Lewis Hamilton raced against the Polish driver in the junior categories and in F1 before the accident which brought Kubica’s career to a premature end.
“He’s one of the greatest talents I’ve ever driven against. Had he been able to continue his career normally, he would have been world champion. “
It took years for Robert Kubica to be able to use his right arm again after an astonishing 30 operations were required. But yet, the recent tests this year has showed that he’s as quick as he used to be.
If rumour is true then for 2018, Kubica will partner the young Canadian pay driver Lance Stroll. The Baku podium winner had this to say about his potential team mate:
“I just want a driver by my side who is a team player, the bottom line is that you’re totally focused on your own task and do not pay much attention to what’s happening in the box next door.”
The Canadian has had an up and down first season with Williams, showing glimpses of speed but then often being outclassed by the retiring elder statesman of F1, Felipe Massa. Yet, and is often the case with the young, confidence is high and Lance believes he could be battling with Kubica.
“A battle with your team mate can cause you to split the team, which pulls everyone down”
Rather nonchalantly Stroll concludes by saying that “Ultimately, it’s Williams’s decision. I do not know Robert Kubica.”
“I just want a driver by my side who is a team player, the bottom line is that you’re totally focused on your own task and do not pay much attention to what’s happening in the box next door.”
contradictio in terminis..?
Stroll might just as well have said:
“I want my team-mate and I to have a common goal. He can concentrate on me, so I can concentrate on me too”
He could have said – ” I relish the opportunity to beat a one-armed driver” or “How did Williams turn into the Gong Show”?
That’s the standard North American response when a new player comes to a team.
“But yet, the recent tests this year has showed that he’s as quick as he used to be.”
Come on Judge. A link which takes you to an unverifiable story that Kubica was quicker than Palmer and Hulkenberg in a simulator? Kubica has had one test where we know how he did and that was the post-race test in Hungary and he was slower than both Palmer’s and Hulkenberg’s times from the race.
He’s quick – Trust me
actually if you look at the long race pace, he was faster than both… ableit with no traffic. AND no one knows what fuel Kubica was using, AND he said he never did a qualifying simulation.
there is a few rumours in Brazillian media and Polish Kubica fan sites, that part of the 2 year contract is that he has to give up 11 FP1 sessions next year.. I though that sounds strange, then a couple days later they unexpectedly announced Sirotkin to do some of the test in Abu Dhabi… I think Sirotkin will bring Russian money with him to do those FP1s. Also there is another part to the story not reported much yet, Lotos – Polish petroleum company who sponsored Kubica in WRC, will once again sponsor him (they are on record saying they will if he gets a contract), and will develop fuel for Williams. Kubica will bring 8-12 million dollars form Olimp and Lotos…. something he didn’t have worked out while trying to get Renault seat, and something that Nico Rosberg was said to have brokered when he went to Poland recently.
Also Sirotkin has no chance of a drive at Williams, they have given Kubica most of the testing over 2 days over Sirotkin and Stroll. Sirotkin is under 25, which is not good with Martini.