Despite missing out on the Williams Martini Racing drive to Sergey Sirotkin, Robert Kubica insists he still has ‘personal satisfaction’ from being announced as the Reserve and Development Driver for the 2018 Formula 1 season.
Kubica tested with Williams at the back end of 2017 and was one of a number of drivers in contention for the drive along with Paul di Resta, Pascal Wehrlein and Daniil Kvyat, but ultimately they all missed out on the drive to Russian racer Sirotkin.
Kubica’s role with Williams will see him take on simulator duties, and whilst he acknowledges that Formula 1 has changed since he was last a part of it just prior to the career-threatening injury he suffered in a rallying crash in 2011, particularly with the reduction in testing opportunities throughout the year, he will still get some track time both before and during the 2018 season.
“Of course times have changed in Formula 1, so there is a bit less action and much more simulator work,” said Kubica on RACER. “I will be working to try and improve the car and trying to help the team in the simulator but also some activities on the racetrack in order to be in a position to give better feedback and try to help the team.
“Having been given the chance to drive a Formula 1 car and actually seeing that I am able to do it was probably one of the best days of my life. I will have a bit of time in the car, behind the wheel, so I am looking forward to that, for sure. But I am also looking forward to trying to help the guys in the simulator to get better, to improve the sim and get it as close as possible to reality.
“I would like to thank all the supporters and fans, not only in Poland but around the whole world were cheering for me. Polish fans were following me everywhere! It’s a bit of a different role to racing but I think I can have personal satisfaction and personal goals for this year.”
