Fraser MasefieldNo sooner had the dust settled on the Singapore Grand Prix weekend than Williams driver Robert Kubica was given the first inkling that he is still a hot property for Formula One teams.
Kubica announced before the race weekend that he would leave the Williams F1 team at the end of the season to pursue new opportunities. And, after yet another race finish, the popular Pole learned that there was interest from Haas regarding a test and simulation driver role with the American team.
According to Jonathan Noble from motorsport.com, Haas has already opened talks regarding the role, with team boss Guenther Steiner confirming that it is ‘a possibility’ despite those discussions being in the embryonic stages.
“Anything is possible and we are talking with him,” Steiner is quoted. “I always talk with a lot of people, try to make things better. But I don’t know yet [if it will happen].
“I need still to speak with Robert if he wants to do it now he has decided he is leaving Williams, but I don’t know his other plans. He’s got lot of experience, and he is known to be one of the best of test and simulator drivers around.”
With new regulations permitting no in-season testing in F1 next year, Steiner added that part of the role would naturally include some Friday running.
“With no testing next year we need to do it, because otherwise there is no point to put someone in the simulator who cannot make a correlation. We need to do tests or free practices. That’s all part of it.
“But I think we are getting ahead of ourselves here. It [the discussion] is in infant stage, but it is possible.”
Such a part-time role would naturally be of some appeal to Kubica, and also free him up to race competitively in other series, such as DTM.
Although Kubica has experienced a difficult season during his return to Formula One, the Pole is satisfied that he has performed to the best of his abilities in a car that is consistently running at the back of the grid.
“As a personal goal and achievement, I think it is quite big looking at how tough this race is,” said Kubica following his Singapore finish. “I know where I was two or three years ago, and no one would have believed that I would manage to do such a good race.”
Motorsport Tech was fortunate enough to gain exclusive access to the Pole before the start of his comeback season to talk openly about his long journey back to the pinnacle of motorsport and everyone at partners Acronis wish him the very best for the future.
🗣️ #RK88: "The result is not great, which we expected, but as a personal goal & achievement I think it is quite big…I know where I was two or three years ago, & no one would have believed that I would manage to do such a good race." #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/j9DsvtIKEd
— ROKiT WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) September 22, 2019
Craig Scarborough
Motorsport Technology