Kubica back in an F1 car

Kubica back in an F1 car

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LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

195 months

Wednesday 19th July 2017
quotequote all
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/renault-kubica-...

So are Renault going to run him at the Hungary test?

cuprabob

14,415 posts

213 months

Wednesday 19th July 2017
quotequote all
LaurasOtherHalf said:
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/renault-kubica-...

So are Renault going to run him at the Hungary test?
That's what was being reported over the weekend to see if he can handle a 2017 car and carry out the necessary adjustments on the steering wheel. I would assume he's already a few goes in the simulator.


Vaud

50,287 posts

154 months

Wednesday 19th July 2017
quotequote all
cuprabob said:
I would assume he's already a few goes in the simulator.
Some reports mentioned that he needs buttons adjusting - so a custom steering wheel - I guess they know that from extensive simulator time?

skinny

5,269 posts

234 months

Thursday 20th July 2017
quotequote all
https://youtu.be/1hW5MpdA5Cg

Kubica was trying to race 2 weeks after this. He is a true racer and iirc came back the following year and won at the same track.

He belongs in F1 if he's still capable. A big fighter - if anyone can overcome these injuries and limitations it's kubica.

As for rallying, he was always a big fan so imo it was more than a distraction. I got to know him a little and was talking to him in an airport lounge after one of the F1 races. We were watching some WRC and he smiled and said "those boys really earn their money don't they"

Edited by skinny on Thursday 20th July 09:56

M-SportMatt

1,923 posts

137 months

Thursday 20th July 2017
quotequote all
Not sure I get the fuss to be honest apart from its a great story.

The guy was always crash prone and generally on a par with Nick Heidfeld, a perennial underachiever who never seemed to fulfill his talent. Hardly a great CV

(Nick Heidfeld is the perennial underachiever in this sentence not Kubica)

Edited by M-SportMatt on Thursday 20th July 16:23

Vaud

50,287 posts

154 months

Thursday 20th July 2017
quotequote all
M-SportMatt said:
Not sure I get the fuss to be honest apart from its a great story.

The guy was always crash prone and generally on a par with Nick Heidfeld, a perennial underachiever who never seemed to fulfill his talent. Hardly a great CV
We must be talking about a different Kubica then. Many motorsport journalists who have seen and evaluated hundreds of drivers (and have far more data points to draw on than us) regular ranked him as one of the best and brightest capabilities in F1.

M-SportMatt

1,923 posts

137 months

Thursday 20th July 2017
quotequote all
Vaud said:
We must be talking about a different Kubica then. Many motorsport journalists who have seen and evaluated hundreds of drivers (and have far more data points to draw on than us) regular ranked him as one of the best and brightest capabilities in F1.
Take a look at this results?

thegreenhell

15,110 posts

218 months

Thursday 20th July 2017
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Alonso seems to rate him quite highly

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/264881/1/alonso-expla...

Vaud

50,287 posts

154 months

Thursday 20th July 2017
quotequote all
M-SportMatt said:
Vaud said:
We must be talking about a different Kubica then. Many motorsport journalists who have seen and evaluated hundreds of drivers (and have far more data points to draw on than us) regular ranked him as one of the best and brightest capabilities in F1.
Take a look at this results?
Like Alonso in recent, you don't always take results to judge a drivers ability.

M-SportMatt

1,923 posts

137 months

Thursday 20th July 2017
quotequote all
Kubic vs Heidfeld 4 seasons 2006-2010 in the same team

28-29 to Kubica in Qualy
25-24 to Heidfeld in races
150-137 to Kubica in points

Over 4 seasons that says to me hes pretty much on a par with 'Quick Nick', a slightly above average F1 journeyman



Edited by M-SportMatt on Thursday 20th July 16:25

M-SportMatt

1,923 posts

137 months

Thursday 20th July 2017
quotequote all
Vaud said:
Like Alonso in recent, you don't always take results to judge a drivers ability.
No, you're absolutely right, the best marker is how the do against their teammates.......

Dr Z

3,396 posts

170 months

Thursday 20th July 2017
quotequote all
thegreenhell said:
Alonso seems to rate him quite highly

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/264881/1/alonso-expla...
Hamilton too, back in 2008.

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opinion/f1/why-r...

^This piece by Nigel Roebuck is from a few years back but worth a read.

Vaud

50,287 posts

154 months

Thursday 20th July 2017
quotequote all
M-SportMatt said:
Vaud said:
Like Alonso in recent, you don't always take results to judge a drivers ability.
No, you're absolutely right, the best marker is how the do against their teammates.......
As you wish. I'm sure you are right and the vastly experienced journalists, drivers and team principals are all wrong.

Tell you what, I'm having lunch with a senior F1 bod from Mercedes tomorrow. I'll ask him and relay the feedback...

M-SportMatt

1,923 posts

137 months

Thursday 20th July 2017
quotequote all
Vaud said:
As you wish. I'm sure you are right and the vastly experienced journalists, drivers and team principals are all wrong.

Tell you what, I'm having lunch with a senior F1 bod from Mercedes tomorrow. I'll ask him and relay the feedback...
You can do what you like, they can say what they like, results speak for themselves, he was good, but not great. Either that or Heidfeld was also at the same level.

Vaud

50,287 posts

154 months

Thursday 20th July 2017
quotequote all
M-SportMatt said:
You can do what you like, they can say what they like, results speak for themselves, he was good, but not great. Either that or Heidfeld was also at the same level.
Who hasn't been invited back for multiple tests after years out of the sport... as you say, results speak for themselves...

M-SportMatt

1,923 posts

137 months

Thursday 20th July 2017
quotequote all
Vaud said:
Who hasn't been invited back for multiple tests after years out of the sport... as you say, results speak for themselves...
Yes they do. And Kubica hasn't generated anything more significant that when he was slightly above average 6-7 years ago, until he does then we'll never know.

Vaud

50,287 posts

154 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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Without breaking confidences from the lunch, let me just say that the test is of great interest up and down the paddock and Kubica was very highly rated by many.

M-SportMatt

1,923 posts

137 months

Friday 21st July 2017
quotequote all
Vaud said:
Without breaking confidences from the lunch, let me just say that the test is of great interest up and down the paddock and Kubica was very highly rated by many.
Im sure it is, and is of interest to me also. No doubt he was highly rated as many are quoted as saying so, however there weren't any results to back this up apart from 4 seasons of matching Heidfeld and one season of destroying Petrov which to be fair wasn't hard.

I genuinely hope he does well and it would be good to see him complete his journey, but mercurial talent ranking alongside hamilton/vettel, best of a generation and all that jazz, no evidence to suggest this at all.


Roofless Toothless

5,610 posts

131 months

Friday 21st July 2017
quotequote all
M-SportMatt said:
Not sure I get the fuss to be honest apart from its a great story.

The guy was always crash prone and generally on a par with Nick Heidfeld, a perennial underachiever who never seemed to fulfill his talent. Hardly a great CV


Edited by M-SportMatt on Thursday 20th July 16:23
Personally, the only young driver that has come along since Kubica that has made me sit up the same way is Max Verstappen.

The trouble is that Kubica is no longer a 'young' driver. At 32 I wonder if his age is as much a problem as his disability when it comes to re-entering F1.

skinny

5,269 posts

234 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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I think Heidfeld was underrated too. The BMW Sauber was never really the class of the field.