Williams GrandPrix Engineering doesn't sign Kubica

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Williams F1 instead signs well-sponsored Russian rookie, earning them Least Ambitious Team of the Decade Award.
Damage control: signing Robert Kubica as bench-warming babysitter.
Pathetic.
 
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As for Kubica, he's been out of F1 for over 6 years, so making him a primary driver could have been risky as well. Let's see where this goes. If the rookies misbehave, he'll be there to take their spot.
 
Originally Posted By: newbe46
Williams have been known for going for the money.


Between Stroll's daddy putting up $80 MILLION, and Sirotkin putting up $15 million that would prove to be a factual statement. Williams is turning into a rich boys club.
 
Williams needs the money and Kubica wasn't quite fast enough to overcome that. I was thinking they might have put Kubica in the car to start with Sirotkin as "test driver" in case Kubica wasn't quick enough any more. But probably there would be much less money that way...
That's the reality of where Williams is right now, they need to get their car improved more than anything and that costs lots of money!
I assume these are one year contracts so if Robert gets back to his former level then we could see him replace Lance or Sirotkin in 2019.
 
Not surprising at all. Costs money to run a race team and a driver that brings money helps when you don't have sponsors like Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull who can hire based on talent.
 
The sensible option would be run the daddy's boy Lance Stroll and an experienced driver like Kubica or Paul Di Resta. That would ensure they have the money and the points if the occasion arises. They had always have such pairings for a long time if I'm not mistaken and I think it serves them well.

Running two young drivers all of a sudden makes them like a third tier team. I mean even Hass didn't do that, no offence.
 
Yes, it would seem Kubica wasn't fast enough on new machinery. I don't doubt that Kubica being back in a seat would be a nice feel good story, but that's not good enough. He needed the speed. There have also been talks about what he'd have to do with his insurance payout, which was predicted on him losing his racing career, not restarting it.

newbe46: They ran a fairly inexperienced combo before, with Bruno Senna and Pastor. Of course, that obviously didn't turn out beautifully, but they need more than just a good driver pairing right now.
 
I like Robert Kubica. But I honestly believe his days as a competitive Formula 1 driver are well behind him. Few drivers ever come back to their winning form after even a brief "retirement". Let alone one as long as his. And without the type of severe debilitating injury that he went through. I know it's the kind of story everyone in racing loves to see. But any chance of it realistically happening are slim to none.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
newbe46: They ran a fairly inexperienced combo before, with Bruno Senna and Pastor. Of course, that obviously didn't turn out beautifully, but they need more than just a good driver pairing right now.


That was a forgettable one.
 
Originally Posted By: newbe46
Originally Posted By: Garak
newbe46: They ran a fairly inexperienced combo before, with Bruno Senna and Pastor. Of course, that obviously didn't turn out beautifully, but they need more than just a good driver pairing right now.

That was a forgettable one.

Yet Pastor somehow managed to win a race for them.
 
Originally Posted By: newbe46
That was a forgettable one.

Unforgettable in that it still gives me nightmares.
wink.gif
As pointed out, Pastor did have one memorable outing. Then again, so did Stroll already, though not a win. Get the car in order first, then the drivers will come, I suppose.
 
So Williams thinks they'll be competitive against McLaren, Renault, and Force India with two pay drivers and one season of experience between the two...

Hope they enjoy 7th place this season, if they're lucky.
 
Don't think for a second Kubica wasn't bringing big money with him as well, even if it wasn't quite as much as Sirotkin. Was Sirotkin the best choice? I don't know but he has done well enough for himself in other series to get a try. As for Kubica, we can't help but question whether he has what it takes on all circuits, over full race distances, wheel-to-wheel with other drivers.
 
Kubica will be their Friday driver. With his experience and feel, most likely he will be setting up the car for a rookie and the money kid who was a rookie last year. Williams gets all the money, plus someone to set up the car. Kubica will get to work on his speed, and see if he has what it takes to be competitive again. As for all circuits, wheel to wheel, etc., one can only tell when that situation arrives, or not.
As an outsider, Williams appears to be chasing the pay money drivers. I am not expecting that they will have the greatest season, even though they have the best customer engine. I expect Force India will wipe the floor with them, with their fast pilots. Even if they crash into one another once in a while.
 
Originally Posted By: BikeWhisperer
So Williams thinks they'll be competitive against McLaren, Renault, and Force India with two pay drivers and one season of experience between the two...

Unless they get the car itself in order this time, and keep development going, they could have Vettel and Hamilton as their drivers and still wind up where they are.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: BikeWhisperer
So Williams thinks they'll be competitive against McLaren, Renault, and Force India with two pay drivers and one season of experience between the two...

Unless they get the car itself in order this time, and keep development going, they could have Vettel and Hamilton as their drivers and still wind up where they are.


So Paddy Lowe goes on record saying that rookies struggle to get the full potential of an F1 car, then they hire another rookie...classic. And while a driver can't take a bad car and win with it, they certainly can put it into the points when it has no business being there. Case in point with Alonso the last few years in the McHonda. You put Hamilton and Vettel in last year's Williams and they are at the very least competing with Force India on points.
 
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