Kubica back in an F1 car
Discussion
Fire99 said:
Very different situations in my opinion. Alonso was a driver still running on the grid with world champion pace. Kubica has been off the grid for some time, had to recover from extensive injury and not managed to score a race seat up until now. If he doesn't take a race seat now, I can't see him getting one later. He's getting older and the grid is filling up with younger talent.
If he's going to get back into F1 properly, he needs to prove himself and for that he needs a race seat with a well regarded teammate, IMO. The only way he's going to achieve that right now looks to be to get the Williams seat and comprehensively beat Russell. I'm not sure either of those things will be easy though. Agreed. If guys like Sainz and Ocon are under pressure, you've got to take what you're given. Even Alonso only had a choice of McLaren or McLaren.
If I were him I'd take the Ferrari offer and enjoy some other motorsport, although smashing a Williams pay driver week-in week-out might not do your career any harm(assuming he can), and would allow a better goodbye to F1 than the one he got.
If I were him I'd take the Ferrari offer and enjoy some other motorsport, although smashing a Williams pay driver week-in week-out might not do your career any harm(assuming he can), and would allow a better goodbye to F1 than the one he got.
It really depends how much he wants to be an F1 racing driver again. He could race for Williams for a year and that could be it, job jobbed, never to be heard of again. Or he could go to Ferrari where he won't sit in a current F1 car again, but will have the opportunity of a long career with the brand, doing simulator testing, demonstration events, racing in WEC, etc., similar to the path taken by Fisichella. Joining Ferrari ended Fisi's F1 career, but opened up a lot of other doors.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/kubica-williams...
I'm off to invest in flying pigs and a heating company for hell!
I'm off to invest in flying pigs and a heating company for hell!
As this story broke I got a notification on Facebook that "Williams Martini Racing" had changed its name to "Williams Racing"
I'm guessing the new driver and new sponsor announcement will happen together and that Kubica has been key to attracting said sponsorship. Fair play to him and to Claire for giving him the seat regardless of how much of it is sponsorship related. I hope Williams cant start a new chapter and begin to rebuild.
I'm guessing the new driver and new sponsor announcement will happen together and that Kubica has been key to attracting said sponsorship. Fair play to him and to Claire for giving him the seat regardless of how much of it is sponsorship related. I hope Williams cant start a new chapter and begin to rebuild.
KillianB4 said:
As this story broke I got a notification on Facebook that "Williams Martini Racing" had changed its name to "Williams Racing"
I'm guessing the new driver and new sponsor announcement will happen together and that Kubica has been key to attracting said sponsorship. Fair play to him and to Claire for giving him the seat regardless of how much of it is sponsorship related. I hope Williams cant start a new chapter and begin to rebuild.
Martini announced that they were going to end their sponsorship agreement with Williams before 2019 ages ago. Doubt Robert will bring a headline sponsor of that size. Lawrence Stroll will still be putting a lot of money Williams' way. I'm guessing the new driver and new sponsor announcement will happen together and that Kubica has been key to attracting said sponsorship. Fair play to him and to Claire for giving him the seat regardless of how much of it is sponsorship related. I hope Williams cant start a new chapter and begin to rebuild.
HustleRussell said:
Martini announced that they were going to end their sponsorship agreement with Williams before 2019 ages ago. Doubt Robert will bring a headline sponsor of that size. Lawrence Stroll will still be putting a lot of money Williams' way.
I'm aware the Martini stuff was wrapping up but I just think that they will unveil both driver and sponsor together shortly.HustleRussell said:
REALIST123 said:
The key phrase in that article:
“Kubica has also attracted further sponsorship from his native Poland that he can bring to Williams.“
I think you are doing Robert a major disservice there. “Kubica has also attracted further sponsorship from his native Poland that he can bring to Williams.“
But when a team puts a driver in who is disabled and hasn’t raced for 8 years, in an age when there are many up and coming very good racers about, what else can it be?
They can get the benefit of his experience without a race seat, though probably not the backing.
I reckon this is a case of getting someone to drive, who’ll do a reasonable job and bring cash as well as his experience.
It’ll be 1 year, maybe 2 if they don’t get the car sorted soon or are still struggling for money.
Having said all that, having RK in the car is far from being their biggest weakness.
I’ll be happy to be proved wrong.
HustleRussell said:
REALIST123 said:
The key phrase in that article:
“Kubica has also attracted further sponsorship from his native Poland that he can bring to Williams.“
I think you are doing Robert a major disservice there. “Kubica has also attracted further sponsorship from his native Poland that he can bring to Williams.“
If it was about money they'd have kept Sirotkin.
What they have done is secured a widely experienced driver who is also renowned as one of the best test / development drivers. Russell will respect him for his experience and he can add value as a mentor even if Russell turns out to be faster from the get-go.
If Russell thrashes Sirotkin, what have you learned as a team and a driver?
If Russell thrashes Kubica, you know Russell is bloody quick and now has the benefit of a year or more of Robert's mentorship.
What they have done is secured a widely experienced driver who is also renowned as one of the best test / development drivers. Russell will respect him for his experience and he can add value as a mentor even if Russell turns out to be faster from the get-go.
If Russell thrashes Sirotkin, what have you learned as a team and a driver?
If Russell thrashes Kubica, you know Russell is bloody quick and now has the benefit of a year or more of Robert's mentorship.
HustleRussell said:
If it was about money they'd have kept Sirotkin.
What they have done is secured a widely experienced driver who is also renowned as one of the best test / development drivers. Russell will respect him for his experience and he can add value as a mentor even if Russell turns out to be faster from the get-go.
If Russell thrashes Sirotkin, what have you learned as a team and a driver?
If Russell thrashes Kubica, you know Russell is bloody quick and now has the benefit of a year or more of Robert's mentorship.
Agree with all the above. What they have done is secured a widely experienced driver who is also renowned as one of the best test / development drivers. Russell will respect him for his experience and he can add value as a mentor even if Russell turns out to be faster from the get-go.
If Russell thrashes Sirotkin, what have you learned as a team and a driver?
If Russell thrashes Kubica, you know Russell is bloody quick and now has the benefit of a year or more of Robert's mentorship.
Was it "Lotos" who were his main sponsor going back? Unsure if they have upped the sponsorship package for Robert and will become title sponsor, or has he bought someone new to the team? Williams Lotos Racing? Below is Roberts Rally car with Lotos livery to get an idea of what could be used at Williams if that was the case...
HustleRussell said:
If it was about money they'd have kept Sirotkin.
What they have done is secured a widely experienced driver who is also renowned as one of the best test / development drivers. Russell will respect him for his experience and he can add value as a mentor even if Russell turns out to be faster from the get-go.
If Russell thrashes Sirotkin, what have you learned as a team and a driver?
If Russell thrashes Kubica, you know Russell is bloody quick and now has the benefit of a year or more of Robert's mentorship.
He seems to still have good pace, I think it was Red Bull who tested him in their simulator not long ago and his race pace was similar to their 2 main drivers. I know it's simulator rather than an actual race but as indicators go it's hardly a bad one.What they have done is secured a widely experienced driver who is also renowned as one of the best test / development drivers. Russell will respect him for his experience and he can add value as a mentor even if Russell turns out to be faster from the get-go.
If Russell thrashes Sirotkin, what have you learned as a team and a driver?
If Russell thrashes Kubica, you know Russell is bloody quick and now has the benefit of a year or more of Robert's mentorship.
DanielSan said:
He seems to still have good pace, I think it was Red Bull who tested him in their simulator not long ago and his race pace was similar to their 2 main drivers. I know it's simulator rather than an actual race but as indicators go it's hardly a bad one.
I am more concerned about his lack of familiarity with the current era cars and tyres and general rustiness than his injury. If anything can be learned from his limited running in 'current' (wide tyre) cars it's that he has some pace to find over one lap. His long runs weren't a concern. Gassing Station | Formula 1 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff