It’s every Formula 1 driver’s dream to drive for Ferrari. And that dream could be a step closer for Williams’ Robert Kubica if rumours circulating the USGP paddock are to be believed.
Current Ferrari development driver Daniil Kvyat is moving back to fill the seat at Toro Rosso vacated by Pierre Gasly who has been promoted to Red Bull’s senior team alongside Max Verstappen for 2019.
This has created an opening at Ferrari for a development driver with significant F1 experience to help ongoing development of their Formula 1 machines.
With it looking increasingly unlikely that Kubica will get a full-time drive at Williams for the 2019 season, the Polish driver might consider it both a step up in terms of team and hardware, and having seen the seemingly dead and buried (in F1 terms) Kvyat leap from the role back into a race seat, significant progress in his campaign to get back on the F1 grid.
I genuinely can’t think of anyone more qualified to do this kind of role that Robert Kubica. He has race winning pedigree, he has the respect of his peers and the wider F1 community, he’s popular among fans and in his current role with Williams he has significant experience of driving a bang up-to-date Formula 1 car.
I think the role would suit him too. Unlike other teams who seem to breed future Formula 1 stars through their development/test/reserve driver roles, historically, Ferrari tend to favour longer-term options and drivers with F1 experience, a la Marc Gene, Luca Badoer and Giancarlo Fisichella.
If the rumours have some substance and the draw of the Scuderia is too great for Kubica to refuse, then I wish him well. It could be repayment at least in part for the (alleged) Ferrari contract he missed out on in 2012 following his accident.
And who knows where it might lead. Ferrari have quite a bit of sway in F1 (understatement) and if any one of their stable of drivers is unable to race, Kubica might just get the call.
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