Kubica to race for Williams in 2019

[N4D13]

So Autosport is running the story that Williams have signed Kubica to race for them in the 2019 season and if Autosport says so, it must be true.

On one hand, I'm glad for Kubica, but I can't help but feel that his time is gone by and that they should have given the seat to Ocon instead. Oh well, let's hope I'm wrong.

[Nitrodaze]

I think Williams need an experienced F1 driver to partner rookie George Russell. Ocon's daft crash with Verstapenn at Interlagos sort of ruled him out as such a driver. It makes sense that they would go with the wealth of experience of Kubica who is well aquainted with the Williams car over the last two seasons. Even so, l think Kubica would need to bring some serious funding for this proposition to be realistic. As we know, Williams are hunting for sponsorship and only a paid driver would help make up the financial vacuum left behind by the Strolls. Hence, Ocon is still out of contention without money backing.

I think a moneybag driver is going to fill that seat, it is a matter of which one out there have backers with deep pocket. Williams may not last the next season without additional funding from a well funded driver and maybe an additional sponsor. Hence, l would wait to hear the details of the partnership before marvelling at it.

[truefan72]

Yeah, just saw the autosport report.
I think it is a done deal @Nitrodaze
He had been working on picking up sponsors to help with securing the seat, and from the look of things he has achieved that.
I am happy for him, but also a bit sad for Sirotkin.

There really should be at least 24 cars on the F1 grid. and it is a failure of F1 and the FIA that in 4 years they have not been able to gain 2 teams back.

[N4D13]

I think Williams need an experienced F1 driver to partner rookie George Russell. Ocon's daft crash with Verstapenn at Interlagos sort of ruled him out as such a driver. It makes sense that they would go with the wealth of experience of Kubica who is well aquainted with the Williams car over the last two seasons. Even so, l think Kubica would need to bring some serious funding for this proposition to be realistic. As we know, Williams are hunting for sponsorship and only a paid driver would help make up the financial vacuum left behind by the Strolls. Hence, Ocon is still out of contention without money backing.

I think a moneybag driver is going to fill that seat, it is a matter of which one out there have backers with deep pocket. Williams may not last the next season without additional funding from a well funded driver and maybe an additional sponsor. Hence, l would wait to hear the details of the partnership before marvelling at it.
I'm not really sure that experience is the key here. Quite frankly, I don't think "experience" is what Kubica is bringing to Williams when he has barely done a few competitive races since 2010 - if I'm not mistaken, all his experience with the new generation of cars amounts to a single Friday practice session at some GP in 2018, so I'm expecting him to do a Pedro de la Rosa. On top of that, it's not like they're bringing Fernando Alonso or Kimi Räikkönen in. Kubica is a guy who's only had four and a half seasons of F1 under his belt. Ocon has had two and a bit, but they're with recent cars.

I'd really like to see Kubica do really well and shut the doubters up, but I just can't see how picking Kubica as a race driver isn't them shooting themselves in the foot.

[Nitrodaze]

I'm not really sure that experience is the key here. Quite frankly, I don't think "experience" is what Kubica is bringing to Williams when he has barely done a few competitive races since 2010 - if I'm not mistaken, all his experience with the new generation of cars amounts to a single Friday practice session at some GP in 2018, so I'm expecting him to do a Pedro de la Rosa. On top of that, it's not like they're bringing Fernando Alonso or Kimi Räikkönen in. Kubica is a guy who's only had four and a half seasons of F1 under his belt. Ocon has had two and a bit, but they're with recent cars.

I'd really like to see Kubica do really well and shut the doubters up, but I just can't see how picking Kubica as a race driver isn't them shooting themselves in the foot.

I think it would be marvelous to have Kubica back on the grid. I am curious to see if he still has that raw speed that he had. He would definitely help Williams get their car together in the racing seat. But l really hope Williams have enough capital to forge forward.

[zako85]

Williams keeps going from one extreme to another, from an all-star driver lineup to pay-drivers, and then back to stars. Anyways, I hope they'll do better with Kubica.

[The Black Knight]

Best of luck to him. Given the utter stupidity we witnessed from Ocon in Brazil I think they probably made the correct decision.

[Nitrodaze]

Best of luck to him. Given the utter stupidity we witnessed from Ocon in Brazil I think they probably made the correct decision.

Ocon is fast and deserves a seat in F1 but he is still wet behind the ears. He has crashed more time with his teammates than any driver on the grid. Marginally ahead of Magnussen maybe. He has still got some maturing to do, l think.

[The Black Knight]

Ocon is fast and deserves a seat in F1 but he is still wet behind the ears. He has crashed more time with his teammates than any driver on the grid. Marginally ahead of Magnussen maybe. He has still got some maturing to do, l think.

Magnussen is vastly superior to Ocon. I’d choose Magnussen any day of the week over him in my team. Just being fast isn’t enough by itself to deserve a seat in F1.

[Nitrodaze]

Magnussen is vastly superior to Ocon. I’d choose Magnussen any day of the week over him in my team. Just being fast isn’t enough by itself to deserve a seat in F1.

Marginally ahead in terms of crashes l mean. But in terms of race craft, l agree, Magnussen is a better proposition for any team. Grosjean is a very competitive driver but Magnussen is looking better in the Haas. Yes l agree.

[Jarek Z]

Reactions of the whole world :)
http://f1.autoklub.pl/news/reakcje-swiata-na-powrot-kubicy,89338

[Jarek Z]

Williams' video:
https://twitter.com/WilliamsRacing/status/1065532044137107456

[Bezza]

I think it is fairly obvious the team wanted him to race in 2018. However, Lance Stroll and his father demanded that he be partnered with an inexperienced, slower team-mate to ensure he looked good against him after being outperformed by an old and past-his-best Felipe Massa in 2017.

So, with Stroll going to Force India, Kubica is now free to race. Great story - but should have happened this year, and Williams would have had a few more points than they do now.

[Jarek Z]

Williams' official website went down :)
https://twitter.com/WilliamsRacing/status/1065543643820367872

[Bagwan]

I think it is fairly obvious the team wanted him to race in 2018. However, Lance Stroll and his father demanded that he be partnered with an inexperienced, slower team-mate to ensure he looked good against him after being outperformed by an old and past-his-best Felipe Massa in 2017.

So, with Stroll going to Force India, Kubica is now free to race. Great story - but should have happened this year, and Williams would have had a few more points than they do now.

Robert will likely be quite happy to have waited this past year for the drive , being that he won't have had to deal with the embarrassment of a car that the '18 car turned out to be .
Nobody could have been even close in that car , and all and sundry have said so .

The jury should still be out for Stroll , but a real car at Force Whatever will give us a better idea .