Williams To Evaluate Kubica And di Resta During Test Days

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Martini Williams will give Robert Kubica two one day tests in a 2014 spec Formula 1 race car to evaluate his suitability for the team.  Kubica will have stiff competition to join Lance Stroll in the second seat at the as current driver Felipe Massa, current test driver and Sky Sports pundit Paul di Resta and Pascal Wehrlein are also in the frame.

Stroll had used the 2014 race car to familiarise himself with circuits, so this is naturally the teams preferred option, as there will be obvious benchmarking references to access both Kubica and di Resta in the evaluation process.

Both Kubica and di Resta have been keen to re-join a team with a driver contract for the 2018 season.  Kubica had been rumoured to re-join Renault F1, however Carlos Sainz Jr has been made available and will be confirmed to take the seat.  Di Resta on the other hand knows the team well and had raced this year’s spec car, replacing Massa earlier in the season at Hungary.

There is divided opinion regarding Massa keeping his seat next season.  The Brazilian re-joined the team this season, coming out of retirement to replace Valtteri Bottas at short notice.  Sources within the team feel the Brazilian is a known quantity and may prove a better option than di Resta or Kubica, depending on the outcome of their test programmes.

Williams’ senior management is in no rush to make a decision, yet it is understood they would like to be able to announce the complete line-up before the end of the season.

 

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