Kubica: I still have a lot to learn

Robert Kubica is considering a number of offers to drive a world rally car in 2014, but has warned against unrealistic expectations, saying it will take three seasons to reach his potential at the sport’s top level.

The ex Formula 1 driver secured the FIA WRC 2 Championship with victory in Spain last week at the wheel of a Citroën DS3 RRC. The result capped a remarkable debut season, during which he also took wins at the rounds in Greece, Sardinia, Germany and France.

After the rally, the Pole admitted he had received offers to progress to the top-flight world rally car class in 2014.

“It’s not a secret that I have some opportunities to drive next year in a WRC car, but with whom or if I will drive or if it’s the right moment, to be honest I don’t know,” he said.

Kubica confirmed that he hadn’t given up on his dream of returning to single seater racing, a career that was put on hold following his crash in Italy in February 2011.

“I’m here in the WRC for recovery and I used this year to gain experience in case my goal will not happen. I mean I have no secret that one day I would like to come back to single-seaters but I think rally helped me a lot this year. Not only my recovery but to keep my mind busy because rallies are much more time consuming compared to circuits,” he said.

“If I commit to an important role in the WRC I need to be sure I am able to do it. I need to be sure I can play an important role in the team. Fifty per cent of the rallies will be new to me and it depends a lot on what people expect by putting me in the car. I have an idea for next year. If I stay next year I will continue on the learning curve because you can only judge the level of a driver after three years in the WRC.

“For sure if after three years I am not able to fight at the top it means I have made a mistake and I am not good enough. But it’s too early to say this. We have to be honest because I drive first time in gravel in March so there’s still a long way to go,” he added.

Kubica and his co-driver Maciek Baran will get a taster of world rally car competition at the upcoming Wales Rally GB (13-17 November) when they will drive a full works spec DS3 WRC as part of the Abu Dhabi Citroën Total World Rally Team.