It gives Kubica a chance to race, which is all he's asked for. And it gives Williams the driver decision that will be putting them on the front page of all motorsport news starting now, and going at least up to Australia. I don't think there is a person on pit row that doesn't wish him good fortune and congratulations. Kubica knows that he can't blame the car...everyone already knows it sucks...and he knows that he has to give 110% every hour of every day, he has to work miracles if he is to retain his seat. And if it doesn't work for him, I think he is honest enough to admit it and step aside, perhaps going to other forms of motorsport and racing there. And if anyone understands what Kubica is facing, I think it is Niki Lauda. Hopefully they will meet face to face this weekend.
Claire making Kubica's seat "official" at the Abu Dhabi 2018 GP Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
SMP Racing (Sirotkin) “We decided not to participate in F1 with Williams. We were unpleasantly surprised by level at which team was at the beginning of the season. The progress of the car was also not high enough."
I'm not altogether surprised that the sponsors were disappointed by the 2018 season at Williams and voted with their feet. You would have to be very optimistic or daft to put any money in this team at present.
I wish Kubica the best but his future teammate (George Russel) is a hell of a talented driver and has two functioning arms.
For the first time, Kubica showes his injured right arm to the camera. Pic taken from the video below. Image Unavailable, Please Login Robert Kubica talks about his return to the Formula 1 grid
Rather strange that Williams chosed to keep the logos of departing sponsors on their car to announce the signing of Kubica for next year.
The flipside of taking a calculated punt can favour the brave. I happen to know the CEO of a brand that took such a sponsorship punt with Brawn in it's WDC year with Button. Their investment was cheap as chips and they received major ROI in exchange for their faith and commitment. Happy days for all.
I remember Frenchman Jean Pierre Beltoise, in the 60s, having an injury, resulting in a blocked elbow. That limited his mobility, but he won the Monaco GP for BRM one year
Yep, sometimes it works, sometimes it fails.... it’s a shame Williams are slip sliding to oblivion it seems. I think they’d need a fit and healthy Schumi in the car to make it get out of the bottom four, Kubica may find next season extremely tough even without the issues of his arm
I think Kubica totally expects next season to be extremely tough. So does Williams. I wish them the best. No reason not to wish them well. Of course it isn't until testing begins next year that any of us will know which cars found the magic and got it right, and which didn't.
The new season begins tomorrow with the tire tests. That will give the car designers their first data to begin building around.
