Heading in to the Monaco Grand Prix, I was wondering if the nature of the circuit might afford Williams a chance to do a little better than they have been doing and if they could find some positives coming out of the weekend.
To those ends, George Russell did well and finished ahead of the Alfa Romeo’s in 15th place. His teammate, Robert Kubica, said that his Monaco performance put the bed the concerns some had about his ability to drive an F1 car and turn the wheel due to his disability in his right arm.
“I knew I would be fine here,” Kubica, who was eventually classified 18th, told Autosport.
“I think overall a lot of people thought I would not even be able to turn the steering wheel.
“In this not easy situation I think I did pretty well, and I can be happy. Of course the final result could have been better, but that’s how it is with racing.
“People said that Turn 1 would be an issue for me, and I think in all the races I did pretty well in Turn 1, or on the opening lap, when there is a kind of racing instinct.”
I’ll be honest with you, the thought never crossed my mind and I have no idea who was doubting his ability to turn the wheel. If there were questions in the press, it is not a media outlet I frequent because I didn’t see anything of the sort. If it was coming from people in the paddock, I didn’t hear it.
I reckon if Robert isn’t capable to drive effectively at any circuit on the calendar, he wouldn’t be in that car full stop. If Williams F1 had doubts and if those doubts proved to be true, then I would be surprised if Williams put him in a position such as that. It wouldn’t be safe for Robert nor those around him.
I have every expectation that Robert can drive an F1 car and has no issues with turning the wheel because it is a key element of driving and so far, he seems to be doing fine. His Monaco Performance may have answered naysayers in Robert’s mind but he didn’t silence the notion that he is not as fast as his teammate and has a ways to go in that battle but that’s a decision Williams has to make.
Hat tip: Autosport
Turn the steering wheel, yes. Drive fast, no.
I don’t really take much away for Williams from them coming out of the cellar in Monaco. Monte Carlo comes down to strategy and track position, so the fact that they managed to not finish in the two dead-last positions doesn’t really say anything about the pace of the team. In qualifying, where the pace actually DOES matter, they were in the two last-place positions with more than half a second separating them from the next-slowest driver (Stroll). So I don’t see any reason to think that for all future races outside of Singapore, they will be quickly left behind… Read more »
“I have no idea who was doubting his ability to turn the wheel.” ‘The Internet’. It was the internet. LOTS of people on those other F1 areas would talk smack about him not being able drive the car do to his hand. You’re right it wasn’t the traditional journalist we follow (though maybe the polish press?) but the social media noise was there. Granted I personally do not think anyone should ever care, consider, or especially draw conclusions from what people on social media say, but it was there.
I don’t follow much other F1 press these days but I came across something. I think the question was discussed on a previous years checkered flag podcast. It wasn’t in the run up to this years race, but I think I remember them talking about it. Perhaps it was last year when he wasn’t in the car yet.