39-year-old driver admits joining Formula 1 team in 2019 ‘couldn’t have gone worse’

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There was a huge amount of excitement among Formula 1 fans when it was announced that Robert Kubica would be joining Williams in 2019.

The Polish driver was one of the greatest talents of his generation and Williams were giving him a chance to prove himself on the grid once again.

However, in an interview with Przeglad Sportowy, the 39-year-old has admitted that while he respects the team, it was clear that it was a poor decision.

Robert Kubica burst onto the scene in Formula 1 in 2006 after winning Formula Renault 3.5 the year before.

He replaced Jacques Villeneuve and another three very successful seasons with BMW Sauber, earning the team the only win in their history in Canada in 2008.

A final year with Renault in 2010 saw his F1 career come to an end after he had a huge crash ahead of the 2011 season while taking part in a rallying series.

Injuries to his leg, shoulder, arm and hand meant he had to work his way back up the motorsport pyramid and prove his fitness.

In 2019 – eight seasons after his last Formula 1 race – Kubica was offered a place back on the grid with Williams.

It was incredible that he had managed to work his way back into the sport, but unfortunately, he was in the slowest car on the grid.

Kubica regrets F1 return with Williams in 2019

Speaking about the experience, Kubica said: “Over the years I have come to a certain awareness of the experience that I don’t need to race at all costs.

“I want to find the right environment because I know what I need to feel good in it. And the current situation gives a certain awareness of such mental comfort.

“There’s a second thought related to returning to F1 – in terms of the sporting aspect with Williams, I couldn’t have done worse.

“To be fair – I have a lot of respect for that group, because there were quite a few people who really knew what they were doing there.

“But unfortunately we were at the wrong time and in the wrong place.”

Kubica scored just a single point for Williams in 2019, coming home in 10^th at the German Grand Prix.

He drove alongside George Russell making his F1 debut and the young Brit out-qualified his more experienced teammate but failed to score a single point.

Russell has gone on to bigger and better things within the sport, while Kubica left the team at the end of that season and only returned to F1 for two races with Alfa Romeo in 2021.

We’ve likely seen the last of Kubica in Formula 1 who is set to drive for Ferrari at the World Endurance Championship in 2024.

He’ll always be remembered for how fast he was during his first stint with BMW Sauber and fans were likely denied another rival to Lewis Hamilton’s domination because of that serious crash.