Kubica: “Need for performance”

Renault, eighth team in the World Championship Formula 1 in the 2009 manufacturers' classification, started from afar at the end of the last season. In a few months, everything has changed: new main team, new drivers, new organization, new strategy. The challenge will be significant for the team?enstone, who wants to return to the top of the table after a very lackluster 2009 season.

Robert Kubica, who arrived at Renault for the 2010 season, is pumped up. Although he regrets the lack of winter testing available to F1 teams, the Pole believes he has prepared well for the coming season. “ I'm as ready as I can be considering that winter testing has been so limited. I spent a lot of time with the team and we built a strong working relationship. I had a lot to learn and there are still questions that need answers, but overall we collected some interesting data during testing. »

If Renault has not often been at the forefront during pre-season testing, the former BMW-Sauber driver is expecting the best for the first Grand Prix of the season. “ We haven't yet run with all of our aerodynamic developments and we will still have some new developments for Bahrain which I hope will confirm the wind tunnel data and improve performance. »

Of the four teams which are regularly cited as the best armed for this season, the Pole targets two. “ Some of them surely hid their game, that is to say their real potential in terms of performance during these tests. They will also have developments in Bahrain. For the moment, I think that Ferrari et Mercedes have the advantage. »

For Renault to be able to show its advantage this season, Robert Kubica knows that the only solution is to provide better development work than the other teams. “ The season is going to be long and our objective is to have a faster pace of development than that of our competitors. We had to reduce the gap created in 2009 and we had to take two steps forward to be able to catch up with the teams at the top of the field. We need performance, it?s always the best remedy. »

Robert Kubica to see his hopes of improved performance confirmed, or not, from Friday, for the first free practice sessions for the Bahrain Grand Prix.