Robert Kubica On The Spot

[narain fan 0]

ROBERT KUBICA ON THE SPOT

ITV Sport pit lane reporter Louise Goodman is back on the trail of the sport's stars to find out what makes them tick, in and out of the car.

This week she's tracked down BMW's recently promoted Polish hot-shoe Robert Kubica.

Louise Goodman: What’s the reaction been back home about your F1 debut and the fact that you’ve now become Poland’s first ever Grand Prix driver?

Robert Kubica: I don’t think a lot of people in Poland understand Formula One.

There is much more interest about it at the moment, but Poland doesn’t have much of a history in Formula One or motorsport.

A lot of the media, and the people there, still have to learn and to understand how it all works but I’m not sure they want to. They think they know everything already.

Louise: How did you feel about your first race in Hungary?

RK: It was a very exciting and busy weekend for me. In qualifying I managed a satisfactory ninth position although without a perfect lap.

My debut race happened with tough weather conditions - actually it was the first time that I had driven a F1 car on a wet track.

I had a good start and could gain one position in the first lap, but unfortunately, while tuning the traction control settings, I made a couple of mistakes and I am quite angry with myself about that!

Nevertheless, in the second half of the race I had some good fights and my pace was good enough to reach the chequered flag in seventh position.

It was a shame that the unexpected high rubber wear led to disqualification and I am really sorry that the team lost two important points in the Constructors’ Championship.

Louise: What goals have you set yourself for the remainder of the season?

RK: I want to support the Team and constantly fight for points, while increasing my knowledge and my skills as much as possible.

And now for the trivia ….

What’s your middle name?

Josef

Which driver, past or present, would you most like to have as your team mate?

From the present, Schumacher, and from the past, Senna.

Do you support any teams outside F1?

Not really but I’m a fan of Andriy Shevchenko, the Ukranian player ex-AC Milan and now with Chelsea, so I was supporting AC Milan. I like Italian football so this is the team I support.

Prost or Senna?

Senna

Which is your favourite Grand Prix and why?

Of the tracks which I have run on up until now I think Melbourne and Montreal.

They are street circuits with big braking and tight corners. I like action and I think, especially in Montreal, there was low grip, the walls are close to your car and the track is a bit bumpy and that’s good for me.

Which is your least favourite Grand Prix and why?

I don’t really like Hockenheim. I think it’s good for racing because after a long straight there are tight corners so you can see some overtaking, but for driving… I don’t feel anything special there.

I just drive it but I don’t really like it. Generally, when I go to tracks which I know from previous categories before F1 then I enjoy them much more, but I didn’t get that with Hockenheim.

What’s your favourite restaurant in the world?

I don’t have one – we go to so many restaurants around the world that it’s difficult to pick just one. I can tell you my favourite food though – it’s Italian.

What’s your most treasured possession?

I think that would be the first car I got when I was four and a half. My driving career started from that. It was a miniature of a normal road going Jeep, with a 2.5hp engine and a 2-speed gearbox.

How many times did you take your car test?

Just the once – I passed it first time. I don’t have my bike test.

Who was the first person you had a crush on?

I don’t know – I really can’t remember. Let’s say my mother. All boys love their mother!!

Big night out or quiet night in?

Quiet night in.

What are you frightened of?

I’m not really frightened of anything but there are some things that scare me a bit. Like swimming in the sea when you are way out in the ocean.

If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

Maybe my height. I am 1.84 so perhaps I should make myself smaller and that would be easier for Formula One.

Which talent would you most like to have?

Rally driving.

[Buczer 0]

It's funny, that as a Pole, I have to read interviews with Kubica in english press, or wait nearly month to next F1 Racing (polish edition, where is alaways interview with Kubica in context of friday driving etc) .... So if you want to be up-to-date read english or german press

"Prost or Senna?

Senna

It's also funny for me, because his driving style, even a look (not hight but maybe nose), how he speaks rather remind me Alain Prost ... not Senna. I even remember how Gerhard Berger said, that if even will be a second Prost, that must be Robert

Aha..thanks for the interview Narain

PS: "but Poland doesn’t have much of a history in Formula One or motorsport."

That's true. We have only two drivers, which tested F1 GP cars. First was Jaroszewicz, son of our prime minister (in 70'). He was rather a rally driver. Racing in cars like Lancia Stratos, than in FSO factory team (Fabryka Samochodow Osobowych - passenger car factory, a polish manufacturer). As a curiosity:

A polish FSO POLONEZ car rally from 1978. This is a factory racing model. 1978 .. engine from Ferrari Dino (285hp, V6, 2,4l, 7800) with Lancia Stratos chasis

And with FSO Polski Fiat 125 (polish fiat 125) rally car.

http://www.fsoautoklub.pl/index.php?action...&FrameID=56

Anyway he was driving Wolf-Ford 1977 from Jody Scheckter .. but on polish track, in Poznan. It was nothing more, than a "show"

http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/476/f12tr.jpg

The second polish driver who was driving F1 car was Jaroslaw Wierczuk. In my opinion ... rather poor drvier Ehh ... he was driving in F3 in Germany, than in F3000 but without success. But it was obvius I thnik. Not great personality even. Anyway he tested Fordi-Ford in 1996. As you look at Forti-Ford you see one, and only polish sponsor in F1. SOK

[underexposed 0]

Hmmm interesting read. Best of luck to Kubica who I like quite a bit.

[mikathegreat2 2]

1st Polish F1 racer in history ! Good luck Robert!

[Jean Todt 4]

1st Polish F1 racer in history ! Good luck Robert!

all the best robert! dont let jv's words p**s you off! make use of this golden chance!

[mikathegreat2 2]

all the best robert! dont let jv's words p**s you off! make use of this golden chance!

!

[stopkidding 0]

saw some early agressive driving by Kubica and he quickly faded away after the safety car and a few mistakes. I wouldn't be surprised if he was too harsh on his tyres....I guess it was okay drive given BMW's race pace (or lack thereof)

Nick got unlucky other we could expected another gritty drive into the points

[Buczer 0]

BMW cars weren't light. Robert car was pretty heavy. The problem was just the bad luck. Heidfeld lost his front wing after hmm .. Fisichella ?? error on first curve. He chagned front wing but the car wans't stable. Robert had great start (faster than Kimi) and his first run was veeeery good (he overtook Webber, Rosberg, Klien, Liuzzi .. he fought great against Fisichella) and before his second pit-stop he was 5th (7 if we agree that RS and one more driver were after their final pit-stop) and for some time faster than Pedro. Than the second pit-stop hmm. I don't know what happend. It was to early .. Heidfeld made his pit-stop 7-10 lap later. The same most of his rivals. Something happend. I don't know what. Maybe the problem with the car? That's what I think. Or maybe Kubica error on T8 damaged the car ?? (when both, Webber and him left the track). After his second pit-stop he was 2s. slower than before !! Even on new tires !!

So..BMW car are really, really fast. And qual wasn't good because their were "light" or by "accident".

Fastest lap:

Kubica 1:29.7 lap34 (9 time)

Heidfeld 1.30.3 lap56 (14 time)

[stopkidding 0]

So..BMW car are really, really fast. And qual wasn't good because their were "light" or by "accident".

Fastest lap:

Kubica 1:29.7 lap34 (9 time)

Heidfeld 1.30.3 lap56 (14 time)

BMW aren't fast enough during the race. they are still about 1.5-2 seconds a lap down on the top teams, which in F1 terms is like length of Kubica's nose (cheap joke ).

I think BMW are the best of the rest, after Ferrari, Renault, Mclaren and Toyota. And since the top four teams don't have third drivers on friday, BMW tend to be in the spotlight on friday as the 3rd drivers can turn the revs up and don't have to worry about engine degradation, so they tend to fly faster than the rest of the cars. I am not taking anything away from Kubica, but its fair to say that he has been then luckiest third driver yet...

[Buczer 0]

So Mario T. said, that they want RK earlier in the pits, because they want to give him much softer tires. "We played va-bank". 5-6 place would be possible ... Unhappy, as Robert says, the tires were damaged just after 2 laps ... end it was all over I don't know if this is true. PR is important Anyway it seems to be convincing.