Robert Kubica says he is pleased to have disproved those who said his injuries would prevent him from racing in Formula 1 again.
The Williams driver admitted his comeback to racing hasn’t been as successful as he hoped. But he pointed out many people claimed he wouldn’t be able to drive at all due to the injuries he sustained in his 2011 rally crash.“Coming back to a competition sport – as Formula 1 is, the highest level of motorsport – after a long time and with my limitations, a lot of people did not even think I would be able to race,” he said.
“I heard many stories that in turn one [I would] not be able to react to situations. And probably the opening lap is one of the things, which I managed well this season.
“I heard rumours that I would not be able to race in Monaco, and probably Monaco was one of my best drives during this year. Although I was still far behind, feeling-wise it was positive.”
Kubica has also confirmed he will not return to drive for Williams next year. “I think the general picture is massively hidden by what we went through this season,” he said. “Many things did not help and did influence in a negative way what I was able to do.”
“I’m leaving this season, of course not happy with the general performance, but pretty happy with how my body, my mind and my brain reacted to the difficult challenge I had this year,” he added.
Williams is on course to finish last in the championship for the second year in a row. Ahead of his penultimate race weekend with the team, Kubica said he hopes they bounced back from their poor season next year.
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“It’s definitely not [been] the easiest season and not the season we were hoping for,” he said. “I think every member of Williams is not happy with what we have seen this year. The team is working hard but it is not an easy season.
“The guys at the track always did a very good job with what we have. Especially in the beginning of the season, it wasn’t easy and the group stayed strong, united and very, very positive, which is good to see in such a difficult period.
“But it’s the kind of situation where the people at the track they cannot make your car one second faster. They can make you car slower, but not faster.
“Definitely we need to improve what we get, the pace of the car, and then everything will become easier. And also for the guys on track the work will be more easier; more fun.
“Of course this will not happen with me, as I’m leaving Williams. But I hope this team will improve their situation for the future, especially because the guys they deserve it. They are really good people and they are working hard, so I hope good times, or better times, will arrive soon for Williams.”
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xr
15th November 2019, 12:18
Given that he was 2-3 seconds per lap slower than his rookie teammate, didn’t seem to have proven that much! Jeez!
Jockey Ewing
15th November 2019, 22:01
That’s exaggeration, maybe that was something like 0.6s+ on average vs a very good guy, and a shocking 1.5s+ on his worst qualys or rarce’s fastest lap. Of cource that’s way more than acceptable, even at lower levels between teammates, even a 0.5s is class difference. But he not really spun, not really crashed, and was not really dangerous.
Today’s rookies are not comparable to the era of low superlicense requirements, and the improvement of simulators, even at the publicly available ones, makes wannabees much more prepared than decades before. They are much better, a lot of guys were simply awful vs Norris, Russell, or Albon, the only thing they need to pick up the pace a bit more, and grow up a little bit, and that’s likely will happen.
I think there is no driver on Earth who could make this year’s Williams to beat even the Haas on points :(
I like Kubica, and his story too, he’s still very able in many good means, but he’s not comparable to the young himself, who was similar to the Massa, Barrichello, Webber level, so at least a good second driver of a top team, or even better.
Paul Gauthier
16th November 2019, 2:59
So basically he’s slower.
Jockey Ewing
16th November 2019, 3:12
Yes, but not with 2-3 secs vs Russell, because that’d mean 2.5s*65lap = 162,5 secs for an average GP,
80secs for an average lap => being lapped 2 times at an average GP by his own teammate
F1oSaurus (@)
16th November 2019, 7:57
The difference between Russel and Kubica has been comparable to that between Verstappen and Gasly. Russel indeed lapping Kubica.
Your rant is hard to read, but if you are implying Kubica has not crashed, then what about Baku, Suzuka and yesterday in Brazil?
The “not really dangerous” comment is also baffling. During the race he’s usually dead last, so who could he be dangerous to? You mean he’s usually not ignoring blue flags? I think Hamilton will feel differently seeing what happened last race.
Jockey Ewing
16th November 2019, 13:09
Hey Mister :) You have a cool name, but nothing more. As I see, you are quite notorious for your heckler comments, those are usually containing very broad and loose opinions. Hard to take them seriously.
According to your profile you are following F1 since 2014, then you don’t even seen DRSless racing, but often talked about that as if you could solve everything. Then you are likely not seen F1 before superlicense points system eliminated most of the pay drivers. Many of them made trouble even as dead last and while being lapped. They have done silly torpedos, some do-or-die attempts or gave hard times at lapping. Kubica is much more mature than doing those.
For you there must be a lot of hard to read things outside of F1 too.
Almost every driver crashed or atleast did a bad looking offtrack excursion, or some error like that 2-3 times / season :)
This Williams is slow by nature, likely because of quite bad aero, they can’t set balance easily, they are likely can’t afford toasting as many engines as the others. Yesterday that was a silly snap on a wet curb or painting.
Hamilton likes and respects Kubica, and he not had bad words on him. Please link an article where he had.
One thing is true: Kubica is sadly slower than anyone who has an F1 seat should be, and that won’t change anymore.
Maybe at their worst races Russell was lapped 2 times, while Kubica was lapped 3 times by the leaders, but that still can happen while Rus and Kub finished the race on the same lap relative to eachother.
Please link some articles that proves Russell lapped Kubica more than 1 times at some particular GP’s.
RocketTankski
15th November 2019, 14:10
Fair play to him for giving it a second shot. Sadly it wasn’t quite the Hollywood ending some had hoped for, but he was consistent and he finished races.
just.daz (@nemo87)
15th November 2019, 14:36
His only limitation was the car itself..
Lancer033 (@lancer033)
15th November 2019, 15:12
while the car was a major limitation, he was still beaten by his rookie teammate in almost every race. He was lucky that one of the 2-3 races he was ahead happened to be in the lone opportunity the team had to get points.
F1oSaurus (@)
15th November 2019, 16:17
I thought the question was if he would be competitive. Some teams tested him and realized that he wouldn’t be. Williams apparently needed the money though.
Paul Gauthier
16th November 2019, 2:58
Turn 1, no problem. Turn 3? Not so much…
ADUB SMALLBLOCK (@waptraveler)
16th November 2019, 13:20
I don’t believe he has disproved a thing. Driving is not the same as racing. Kudos for what he did accomplish, but he never should have been in the car in the first place. I fully understand “pay” drivers, and am not adverse, but this team is in so much trouble they knowingly sacrificed a race seat just to try to stay afloat.