Formula One | Racing Point Join Haas in Chase of Kubica for 2020

[Paul Jeffrey]

Racing Point Mercedes are the latest team to throw their hat into the ring in a bid to sign Robert Kubica for next season.

Having made a somewhat unsuccessful return to Formula One with Williams this year - a season that has proven to be more frustration that fairy tale for the popular driver, it seems like the team formally known as Force India are the latest squad to show solid interest in signing up the 34-year-old Polish star for next season.

With just one final race until the current campaign draws to a close, Robert Kubica has already confirmed he will not be returning to the once great Williams team again next year, leaving the door open for discussions with other outfits about a potential reserve and simulation role alongside other motorsport activities away from Grand Prix racing.

For a number of weeks the American Haas team have show robust interest in the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix winner, with team boss Gunther Steiner having gone on record several times stating the team would 'love' to add Kubica to their team for next season, and now it seems like fellow midfielders Racing Point are also interested in doing a deal with the outgoing Williams man.

Speaking to the media during the recent Brazilian Grand Prix weekend, Racing Point Team Principle Otmar Szafnauer confirmed the British outfit are also very interested in Kubica, and his PKN Orlen sponsorship for the year ahead:

“It would be great to have Robert on the team. We respect him a lot, so it would be great if he could help us as a team.”

Current Williams sponsor PKN Orlen have already confirmed they intend to remain with Kubica and maintain a presence on the Formula One grid, pulling out of their Williams arrangement and making the prospect of a team securing the Polish driver's signature for next season all the more attractive.

Although no race drives are available for the year ahead in Formula One, it appears that Kubica is keen to dovetail a Formula One development role with a race programme outside of the top flight - possibly in a series such as DTM, if recent rumours are anything to go by.

Should Kubica secure a place within a current Formula One team, the driver has made it clear he would like at least an outside opportunity of regaining a race seat for 2021 should he prove himself capable to his new employers.


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Formula One is AWESOME!

 

[bporion]

is this a joke !! cmon ,

 

[Nick Hill]

Two crummy teams fighting over a crummy driver...wake me up when it's over, please!

 

[maelstrom]

Teams are fighting over Kubica when Nico Hulkenberg doesn't have a seat for next year? What is F1 coming to!

 

[bporion]

Teams are fighting over Kubica when Nico Hulkenberg doesn't have a seat for next year? What is F1 coming to!

exactly what i was thinking . Kubica's time in F1 is over if they can kept Nico in they have to do that .

 

[FeltHat]

Still no word from Robby Gordon? Hmmmm strange

 

[Durge Driven]

I understand Racing Point , Dad wants someone even Lance can beat

 

[Dr. Death]

i've said it before and i will repeat it. Kubicka has been a joke. They made williams an even worse team and he has the guts to then **** on the only team that even bothered to gave him a new chance at F1 just because he was worse than his team mate at racing, making a public claim that his own team was sabotaging him (After, again, being the only ones that made a contract with him). He's making an ass of himself and deserves no respect from anyone.

 

[Koen Verlinde]

Kubica's return was a nice story, time to let it go. Meanwhile Hulkenberg doesn't find a seat...

 

[Zhabik]

Teams want Kubica to help develop their cars, not to race. Some drivers are better than others at giving constructive feedback on the performance and what needs changing. Because of Kubica's physical restrictions as a result of his accident Hulkenberg is clearly a better race driver at this moment. Perhaps Kubica is the better choice in helping develop a race car?

 

[daceaki]

It's just a support role, not a real seat, I bet Hulk wound not want that...

 

[RichardHessels]

Teams want Kubica to help develop their cars, not to race. Some drivers are better than others at giving constructive feedback on the performance and what needs changing. Because of Kubica's physical restrictions as a result of his accident Hulkenberg is clearly a better race driver at this moment. Perhaps Kubica is the better choice in helping develop a race car?

Did not really see Williams go forward, or Kubica giving such valauble info to the team, that his car was setup faster than that of his teammate. He only complained all the time about the car, instead of adapting to it and make the most of it like Russel did.

 

[Zhabik]

Did not really see Williams go forward, or Kubica giving such valauble info to the team, that his car was setup faster than that of his teammate. He only complained all the time about the car, instead of adapting to it and make the most of it like Russel did.

Give me a perfectly setup Mercedes F1 car and I'd still be slower than a Williams, even with Kubica driving! Russell constantly beating Kubica just means that Russell is a better driver, not that Kubica's car was poorly setup. Maybe Williams not going forward as fast as other teams is more a reflection on their R&D organisation than on driver feedback. I don't know if Kubica gives great feedback or not - I'm just suggesting this as to why some teams want to hire him ahead of Hulkenberg. As for Kubica complaining about his car (which, to be fair, so did Russell because it wasn't good) when did you last hear a driver say, 'Car's great, but you employed a cr*p driver!'

 

[Hor-hay]

There fighting over PKN Orlen sponsorship not the driver...

 

[Eric Jaeger]

There fighting over PKN Orlen sponsorship not the driver...

EXACTLY!!!!! Nobody wants this aging gimp cause they think he can lift them higher in the constructors standings, they want that sweet sweet sponsorship money that comes with him.

 

[MoerasGrizzly]

Two crummy teams fighting over a crummy driver...wake me up when it's over, please!

You may even say

They are fighting for pole

 

[InsaneOzzie]

Sadly I don't think it would of mattered if Kubica had two good arms or not, Williams has lost their way and will continue at the slow end of the field due to poor car design and a lack of funds, the fact others are looking to add Robert to their line up just means their looking at his financial backing as has been said above. Williams has had it's day in the sun, I don't see them continuing in the sport after 2021, and no offense to Claire but they haven't done well since Sir Frank took a backseat roll.

 

[eddyb]

No doubt Kubica was an exceptional talent when he joined F1. however he was outpaced at almost every race and out qualified at every race by his teammate he is either very slow now or G.R is an exceptional talent has he was always about 2 sec faster than Kubica.

 

[BrainsBush]

Do they what Kubica for the person he is or do they want the Williams IP via Kubica?

 

[Nick Hill]

Do they what Kubica for the person he is or do they want the Williams IP via Kubica?

Is he going to share the secret of how Williams manages to be 2.5 secs off the pace each and every race?!?