From the first victory with the Ferrari 499P in Texas on the day of Charles Leclerc's triumph in Monza to the debut at Mugello Circuit in the ELMS, the Endurance championship in pure Le Mans spirit, on 27-29 September.
Robert Kubica is ready for a new challenge. On the weekend of 27-29 September. Robert Kubica will be at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello for the debut of the European Le Mans Series on the Tuscan track. A circuit that Robert himself puts on a par with Suzuka e Spa for beauty and driving difficulty, but which will be even more fascinating for him because it represents a great novelty.
Polish by birth and Italian by adoption, his career has been a roller coaster ride. In the streets of Krakow, Robert was in love with the world of motors, which gives as much as it takes away. From successes in karting to the golden yet ruthless world of F1, from the terrible rally accident in 2011 to the extraordinary victory in Austin Texas in the WEC World Endurance Championship last September 1st on Ferrari, Kubica has seen all types of engines.
Congratulations for the extraordinary victory in Texas, which came on the Sunday in which Charles Leclerc dominated in Monza in the Italian GP
“It was a beautiful race and I'm happy for Ferrari. It had never happened before: winning two world championships on the same day."
At the start with AF Corse at the wheel of a Ferrari 499P number 83 Giallo Modena, you did not disappoint expectations
“We needed this result. The season so far had not been easy. We were aware that we had great potential but the results somehow didn't reflect our level."
Did you have the opportunity to follow F1 in Monza on TV?
“I'm an enthusiast, but when I have races I concentrate totally on what I do. Charles is a champion, I'm happy for him. Winning in Monza and Monaco are two highlights of the season, two iconic GPs for which my congratulations and I wish him a Ferrari competitive on all circuits."
From F1 to Endurance. How does the approach to the race change?
“Compared to the past, modern cars do not suffer from breakdowns so it has become a sprint. The WEC format is six hours or more, four for the ELMS (European Le Mans Series). More than the duration, the approach changes. From karts to F1, the driver races for himself, instead in the Endurance you share the cockpit with two other drivers. The driver's DNA certainly doesn't change: you have to extract the most from yourself and
from the package, but the team result matters more than the personal one. Not only that, unlike F1, in the ELMS there are more categories, a grid with over 40 cars and drivers of different calibre. This adds another factor that can affect the race: they are winning drivers, former F1 drivers, he also loves gentlemen drivers”.
What fascinates you about the ELMS Championship?
“I like the format which embodies the essence of motorsport: four hours of racing, a very competitive grid with over 40 cars, high-level drivers and teams on the most beautiful circuits in Europe. After F1 and F2, LMP2 is the fastest category, I think al Mugello we will lap in 1'32".
Is there a point in Mugello that you like best?
“The track is so beautiful that it's difficult to find a spot that isn't, it has a nice flow. However, the Arrabbiate remains two corners mythical. As a category of tracks, I put Mugello together with Suzuka and Spa for beauty and driving difficulty. Maybe because I have it I've only run it once, it fascinates me even more. It will be new. I can't wait".
Finally, what would you like to say to the fans?
“This year I see a lot of people at the ELMS, especially young people and this is very pleasing. I hope to see many people at Mugello, also because the ticket is very accessible and allows you to see the cars and drivers up close: the paddock, the pit walk, the grid deployment. It's a rare thing in Motorsport, so I invite everyone to spend a weekend among the green hills of Mugello at the gates of Florence and cheering on my car, number 14".
