Kubica has no regrets over return with Williams

Robert Kubica says he has no regrets over his return to racing in Formula 1 with Williams despite the team’s difficult start to the season.

Williams suffered a delay getting its new car ready, with the FW42 not running until the third afternoon of pre-season testing and being short on spare parts throughout the two weeks in Barcelona. The team was comfortably off the pace in Australia as both cars were slowest in qualifying and finished last of the classified runners in the race, but Kubica says the setbacks do not detract from his personal achievement to be racing again over eight years since a serious rally accident.

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“No (regrets), because in the end I took the decision after thinking for more than six weeks last year,” Kubica said. “I knew that it would not be easy … I knew it would be an extremely difficult challenge for me to be back in such a competitive sport and being on the grid, I knew it would be difficult for Williams, but I didn’t expect to come to Australia so unprepared. Not from a physical point of view but from a lack of driving.

“Before Barcelona, for me Barcelona were the most important days of the last eight years as a driver. Not as a person when I was half in hospital and couldn’t walk, but there haven’t been more important test days in my life from a driver point of view than Barcelona.

“Unfortunately, Barcelona didn’t work out at all so it put me in a difficult position, but somehow I have to go through them (in Australia) in Bahrain, probably at a couple more races, but I hope to -- and from what I can see -- I think I can not regret it.

Williams' George Russell and Robert Kubica chase the pack at the start. Image by Andy Hone/LAT.

“Even if I struggled (in Melbourne), I still enjoyed it, which is a big difference compared to a long time ago. A big difference. I know where I am coming from. I am not an emotional guy, but for me after the race it felt like a great achievement.”

Kubica ended up three laps down at the end of the Australian Grand Prix, having lost his front wing on the opening lap and suffered damage to the car.