Kubica: There was a wrong pacenote

RK M-Sport World Rally Team’s Robert Kubica damaged the front-left suspension of his Ford Fiesta RS WRC one and a half kilometres into the first test of the day (SS5). The M-Sport team made a full repair and the popular Pole will restart under Rally 2 regulations tomorrow.

Robert Kubica (Rally 2) said:

“On a quick section one and a half kilometres into the stage [SS5] there was a wrong pacenote. It said ‘six-left-plus-long-over-crest’ so I went in at full throttle and high speed. Unfortunately one piece of information was missing - that it unloads the car – so it [the car] took off the road and I went too wide.

“I went onto the grass. Nothing would have happened if there was a bit of a straight afterwards. Unfortunately the road went right, and we were deeply on the inside of the corner. We were thrown to the outside and we hit something with the left front. The car did a full spin in the air and we landed on the other side of the road. Luckily the damage wasn’t too severe, but it was too much to continue.

“The biggest problem in that situation was an unloaded car because of the crest. I hadn’t noticed that during recce; I only noticed when we were there at full speed. It is very difficult to foresee these things as I am not experienced enough to know for sure which crests will unload the car. But on the other hand If you want to drive with good pace it would be difficult to slow down before every sixth-gear corner because there are so many of them here.

“I regret all the mileage I lost today. Yesterday we were taking no risks and we were driving very well. Today, while doing the same, we finished far too early. Tomorrow we just have to continue with the same attitude.”