Robert Kubica says that he is enjoying his new role as Williams Martini Racing reserve driver which has allowed him to develop a greater understanding upon his return to Formula 1.
Kubica was a serious contender for a race seat at Williams for the 2018 season, after the retirement of Felipe Massa, and was close to securing the seat, but after a test in Abu Dhabi late last year, the team opted to go for Russian driver Sergey Sirotkin to partner Lance Stroll.
Williams signed Kubica as the team’s reserve driver signifying a remarkable turnaround for the thirty-three-year-old, who was lucky not to lose his life in a rally accident in February 2011, suffering severe injuries to his arm.
“Actually I am enjoying my position. If you think where I was 12 months ago, things have changed quite a lot,” the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix winner said to Autosport.
“It is giving me quite a lot of challenges and also opportunities to see the team working, to see different point of view of many things. When you are a race driver, you see things in the race driver mode.
“The engineers, technicians, mechanics, all the team is working, but when you are a race driver you don’t get so deep as I have opportunity to get in this situation. It’s a good opportunity and, I’m enjoying it, it’s also good fun, and I think it will be an interesting year.”
Kubica explains standing down
In his role as reserve driver, Kubica was given two half-days at the wheel of the FW41 chassis, although he was due to drive again on the final day of testing, he stood down in favour of Stroll.
“I felt that it’s right to give them (Stroll and Sirotkin) a chance to have more time in the car,” Explained Kubica about his decision. “Many people are asking me, like I would give away my heart.
“I had a good idea of the car after my running and I felt that our race drivers would benefit more from being in the car, especially because they have to bring home points, not myself. It’s very simple.”
