A refreshingly honest appraisal of a driver's performance, by the driver

Dixie Flatline · 5 Oct 2007, 00:01 (Ref:2031470)

Interesting to read Robert Kubica's comments in the press conference on Thursday:

Quote:

Q: This is your first full season, what are your feelings about your whole year?
RK: Pretty disappointed. We have good performance in our car but it looks like we struggled this season to extract 100 per cent of it and on many occasions I think my performance was under the performance of the car and of the whole package.

He must feel fairly confident that he has the long-term support of BMW because for a lot of other drivers to admit that they haven't been up to scratch would leave the team wondering exactly why they were employing the driver.

Props, Robert, for telling it like it is.

Satorian · 5 Oct 2007, 02:02 (Ref:2031517)

I think it's strategy and just as honest as he needs to be. His team mate having scored more points obviously shows that there is more potential to the car than he exploited and isn't much of an admission really.

JeremySmith · 5 Oct 2007, 02:02 (Ref:2031518)

Very honest comments from Robert Kubica if that is how he feels. Great racer I think..

FPV GTHO · 5 Oct 2007, 03:09 (Ref:2031533)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Satorian

I think it's strategy and just as honest as he needs to be. His team mate having scored more points obviously shows that there is more potential to the car than he exploited and isn't much of an admission really.

Even so he could be playing the unreliability/bad luck/poor strategy card

mac · 5 Oct 2007, 03:58 (Ref:2031541)

I really like Robert. I remember spending an entire practice session alongside turns 1 & 2 on the Saturday at Albert Park this year. Kubica was by far the most entertaining - brakes latest, throws it in the hardest, and gives it a good bootful on the way out.

He looked a bit ragged, but he was quick.

He also seems to not care about all of the F1 rubbish at all as well. He just loves turning up, racing like a demon and going home - he's pretty good fun.

staid davenport · 5 Oct 2007, 06:32 (Ref:2031634)

I particularly like the way that RK didn't roll over the minute a Ferrari tried to pass him last sunday. It seems most of the other drivers are fair to scared not to yield in case they get a penalty.

Super Hans · 5 Oct 2007, 07:54 (Ref:2031672)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mac

He also seems to not care about all of the F1 rubbish at all as well. He just loves turning up, racing like a demon and going home - he's pretty good fun.

Aye, F1 Racing threw their dummy out when Robert refused to pose for a photograph holding his helmet 'like a baby'.

**Adam43** · 5 Oct 2007, 08:04 (Ref:2031679)

Natch.

Ralf's Girl · 5 Oct 2007, 09:19 (Ref:2031738)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dixie Flatline

He must feel fairly confident that he has the long-term support of BMW because for a lot of other drivers to admit that they haven't been up to scratch would leave the team wondering exactly why they were employing the driver.

They probably see the same thing that most of us do - a young driver who's obviously very quick and has a lot of promise, but isn't the finished article. BMW are quite big on their young talents, so Kubica is perfect for them. Bearing in mind that his team-mate has a vast deal more experience than he does, I don't think he's shaping up too badly. Plenty more to come from him.

**chunterer** · 5 Oct 2007, 10:10 (Ref:2031786)

I thought the quote might not be as straightforward as it reads. Perhaps what he actually meant by being 'under the performance of the car' was his having been governed by the performance of it, not, him not having made the most of it.

ensign14 · 5 Oct 2007, 14:04 (Ref:2032038)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super Hans

Aye, F1 Racing threw their dummy out when Robert refused to pose for a photograph holding his helmet 'like a baby'.

They apologized to him this month. (But not to Ralf, heh.)

Didn't Hamilton say that Kubica was the driver he feared most in the future? Or am I confusing him with Sutil/Vettel?

JamesH · 5 Oct 2007, 14:08 (Ref:2032045)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ensign14

Didn't Hamilton say that Kubica was the driver he feared most in the future? Or am I confusing him with Sutil/Vettel?

It was Hamilton I believe.

jab · 5 Oct 2007, 14:16 (Ref:2032051)

Hamilton said Sutil was the guy he feared

Sodemo · 5 Oct 2007, 14:47 (Ref:2032068)

Gabrieli Tarquini was always honest when he made mistakes.

I remember one TV interview after a crash the interviewer said "oh a mechanical problem perhaps?" and Tarquini said "oh no, I put a wheel on the grass and I spun off, it was my mistake", or words to that effect.

jab · 5 Oct 2007, 15:39 (Ref:2032115)

That was 97 in a BTCC race - Silverstone maybe?

**Craig** · 5 Oct 2007, 16:16 (Ref:2032150)

I like Kubica. Not sure why in particular but he just seems to be old school. Must be that hair cut

Knowlesy · 5 Oct 2007, 17:29 (Ref:2032214)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jab

That was 97 in a BTCC race - Silverstone maybe?

Croft I seem to recall. The Honda's kept having massive shunts through one of the quick chicanes.

Kubica is a quite interesting one. Interesting driver, honest personality. Not sure how far he will get in F1 but he's genuinely likeable.

Super Hans · 5 Oct 2007, 21:04 (Ref:2032380)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ensign14

They apologized to him this month.

Oh right, I hadn't seen that. I bought Andrex this month instead.

koper · 6 Oct 2007, 02:16 (Ref:2032500)

Well - on Thursday Robert said "on many occasions I think my performance was under the performance of the car and of the whole package."

And on Friday Mario explained why Robert feels like that:

Quote:

MT: I would say he is disappointed in the results he achieved and it is not just down to him. He suffered several technical problems in the early season, then the Montreal crash and then he missed the next race. It was clearly not his fault. It took him quite some time to acquaint himself with the new package, especially the standard spec tyre, but I don’t see a weakness in him. Every driver has ups and downs and certainly Robert didn’t have luck on his side this year. I am convinced he will be stronger next year.
Q: And in comparison to Nick Heidfeld?
MT: Nick had the upper hand. He had less technical problems although he had two today, and the season went much more smoothly for him and so he is ahead on points. To compare both drivers in terms of raw speed or performance, I don’t see a big difference. It depends on which track a driver prefers or who has a strong day. They are quite close to each other.

I think, I found it out on many occassions, Robert is just too proud to blame others and other things for his poor results. I don't know whether it is good or not, but if it was other way round this thread would be called:
Kubica crying about not being treated equally.
so I think it's good that he is mean.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mac

I really like Robert. I remember spending an entire practice session alongside turns 1 & 2 on the Saturday at Albert Park this year. Kubica was by far the most entertaining - brakes latest, throws it in the hardest, and gives it a good bootful on the way out.

He looked a bit ragged, but he was quick.

And that's why he was so quick on trainings in 2006 (michelin tyres) and that's why he was struggling at the beggining of this year with the bridgestones.

Nicholosophy · 6 Oct 2007, 10:04 (Ref:2032735)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mac

I really like Robert. I remember spending an entire practice session alongside turns 1 & 2 on the Saturday at Albert Park this year. Kubica was by far the most entertaining - brakes latest, throws it in the hardest, and gives it a good bootful on the way out.

I wonder how his style will work without TC next year...

Steril707 · 6 Oct 2007, 18:18 (Ref:2033097)

Although i am more the Nick-fan, Robert Kubica is always high on my list.

Keep in rockin' Robert....

Chiefy · 6 Oct 2007, 19:20 (Ref:2033139)

I think Robert Kubica is brilliant. If you remember he replaced Jacques Villeneuve last season (who I don't think was doing too badly, all-in-all) and made his mark straight away. There was never any question of him not seeing the season out after his debut performance. He obviously likes to race hard and fast - and his interviews reveal as much, as he claims he just wants to go as fast as he possibly can. By the start of this season he was my second favourite driver (not that that means anything) and I think he will become F1's next big thing.

In five years' time it'll be Hamilton vs Kubica vs Rosberg vs Sutil for the title... At least, that's what we hope for! And I'll be hoping for a Kubica win!

koper · 7 Oct 2007, 10:07 (Ref:2033736)

After today I really think he's been most unlucky driver this season.

In Japan he could be on pedium if not that controversial penalty.

Here in China - gearbox failure when he was on P1 and very quick.

ensign14 · 7 Oct 2007, 10:28 (Ref:2033766)

Maybe not the most unlucky, but he certainly was today. Would have been very interesting to have seen where he would have ended up.

koper · 7 Oct 2007, 11:45 (Ref:2033832)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ensign14

Maybe not the most unlucky, but he certainly was today. Would have been very interesting to have seen where he would have ended up.

I wonder to know whether he had enough fuel to finish the race.

I don't remember his pitstop.
Anybody remember if it was short or rather long enough?

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