Q&A: Robert Kubica Welcome to the ERC Robert. What made you choose rallying when you had options in circuit racing? “I’m attracted by the very big challenge in front of me. It’s huge, one of the biggest, if not the biggest challenge of my life. Every rally will be a new discovery – and I might do more European championship rallies than currently planned – and that gives you more excitement. Also I’m a big fan of rallying from, following on the internet or watching on Eurosport. I was always looking to these guys and very soon I will be the guy doing those stages so it’s a really nice feeling for me.” Given what happened to you in your accident were you not put off driving rally cars again? “Unfortunately in motorsport accidents can happen. I don’t wish that something similar happens to other people but we have seen worse accidents in motorsport. Somehow my big passion to motorsport overall, including rallying, helped me a lot in these past two years to keep me focused to keep working and improve my condition.” Did you always believe you’d come back and compete in international motorsport again? “I would prefer to still be an F1 driver but my passion has led me to this programme and this is my focus although I cannot say how long for. One and a half year ago, if somebody told me I would be announcing a big programme with Lotos, Citroën and Michelin in the European championship and WRC I would not believe it. Normally I’m not an excited guy but when I am at the start of the stage it will be a huge excitement, particularly for the first rally in Canarias because it’s the first high-level challenge for me after the crash.” What’s your target for this season? “Definitely I need to learn and that’s why I need to keep in my mind I’m not on the race track, I’m in rallying, I’m on the stage, I have a lot to learn, I’m new to this sport. It will take time I know it but I have to take advantage of this opportunity that I have this season to learn as much as I can.”Have you marked out any long-term career plans? “In some way I still hope to come back to where I was, that’s definite. It’s a bit strange because I’m coming from Formula One and suddenly what was all my life stopped in one second. Now I know, I knew it always, but now I appreciate more that there’s nothing better in life than doing what you want to do. I had a great opportunity to be an F1 driver but on the other hand I have a great opportunity to become a rally driver with a very good programme. I can do a good job and provide excitement. Maybe not straight away results but excitement and somehow I can give something back to the people who have supported me.”
Champion Hänninen tips Kubica to fly in ERC Reigning champion Juho Hänninen expects Robert Kubica to fly when he makes his FIA European Rally Championship debut on Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés on Thursday. The grand prix winner is contesting at least four ERC events in 2013 in a Citroën DS3 RRC. Hänninen, who became European champion last season with ŠKODA Motorsport, said the race track-style stages of Gran Canaria would suit Kubica. Asked what advice he would give the ex-Formula One racer, Finn Hänninen said: “I don’t think it would be a question of what advice I could give Robert Kubica for the Canaries, it would be more a question if what advice he could give me! I don’t think there is anything I could help him with. Canaries is really like a race track, probably the most like that of all the rallies. So I think he will be really fast there.” Hänninen won Rally Islas Canarias at his second attempt in 2011, beating then team-mate Jan Kopecký by 1.5s in a dramatic finish for his first victory on Tarmac. “As usual it is just a question of being very neat and clean and making sure that all the lines are right so you do not lose any time,” said Hänninen. “It’s important to have very good pacenotes; this will be a key thing for everyone. I don’t know the car at all, but if the car is up to the level of Robert as a driver, then I think he should win.” While Hänninen is unlikely to appear in the ERC in 2013, Kopecký is set to tackle selected events. He won the opening round, Austria’s International Jännerrallye in January, and is chasing a hat-trick of wins in Gran Canaria.
