Kubica happy at Alfa Romeo: “Amazed by what I saw from the team”

How to summarize this last week of testing marked by a better time on the first day?

It doesn't really matter, what matters is the feeling in the car. When you're going 2 or 3 seconds faster than you used to until last week, the feeling in the car reflects the quality of everything in the car and how it performs. That I subscribed to the last line last year is of no importance.

What really matters is that we had a good week with a lot of interesting things that we can now analyze by comparing the data with my feelings. At the end of these winter tests, this feeling is quite good. It was already good during the first week, maybe even better, because I had tried different things in preparation for the first start. It's important to go through all the things you have in store to only keep the ones that work best. Some items will need more time to improve.

What exactly did you work on during the week?

We had a few small issues, but they didn't affect the program. Once again, the feeling is good. We have tested new elements, made some modifications, carried out adjustment tricks and now have to go through the data to understand what causes an improvement. Climatic conditions can also have a big impact and we must do our evening homework to understand what we can adopt or not, which provides a real gain. I hope we will be ready. We know what we can realistically do, but we need to be sure it's for the best.

This year, the cars are faster than ever. How does that translate from the cockpit?

Like a big kick in the butt, especially for me considering the car I was driving last year! I would like to take this opportunity to say that I am very happy to see that Williams took a big leap forward, because there are a lot of guys at Grove who are doing a great job, and it's good to see them coming back on track. Coming back to the 2020 single-seaters, they are definitely very fast, but that doesn't mean they are more difficult to drive. It was harder to drag along last year. Nothing is ever easy F1, whether you are piloting a Mercedes, a Ferrari or an Williams. What we must not lose sight of is doing our job as best as possible to extract the best from the whole.

Has the car already improved a lot since the first week?

We still have more under our feet. There are new elements arriving and I am quite optimistic. We improved certain areas that were problematic for us last week and what I am particularly pleased with, with Kimi (Räikkönen. Editor's note) and Antonio (Giovinazzi. Editor's note), is the very quick and very good reaction from the team. There are still some issues, but the new parts should fix them. Like every year, the winter testing period is very intense, but what is just as intense is the time after getting out of the car when it is time to pinpoint the right details to pass the right evaluations. .

What were your conclusions when leaving Barcelona?

First of all, there's no point dwelling on the timesheet, because in testing, many teams run different programs and focus on different things. The most important thing is to focus on yourself and, when you have new things to test, to give good feedback and good evaluations. From this point of view, everything is fine. We took a step forward with certain components and all three of us (along with the incumbents. Editor’s note) saw the same things to improve. Improvements that the team managed to make in record time.

In your opinion, where is Alfa Romeo in the hierarchy at the end of these winter tests?

You can have your own little idea, but there's no point in making a big deal about it. Some teams emphasize certain components or programs, so it is futile to draw conclusions. What you need to do is get the most out of yourself here in Barcelona to prepare as well as possible for the first GP, and then go from there. Everything can change quickly in F1 and you have to be realistic. We are.

We still have a lot to do, but I'm amazed by what I've seen over these 6 days from the team. This is promising! I don’t expect us to be kings in the first race but we will do our best. Know your place, be realistic and keep working.

You were the only one who knew your true place last year. Having been able to show this week that she was not at the back of the grid must be quite a personal satisfaction...

Not really. People think that clocking times is harder than dragging, but that's not true. Driving in 1’17” with the C39 is no more difficult than driving in 1’19” or 1’20” last year… Let’s say it’s not the same difficulty. Last week, during my first laps, the aero support that allowed me to go faster was indeed there, but my brain tended to tell me that it was not possible. It took me a few rounds to get it adjusted to speed. In an F1 paddock you don't have a lot of downforce, but aero downforce is a big one. Once you have him, he becomes your best friend and he helps you a lot.

When will we see you again on the track?

It depends on what car you're talking about... Next time I'm in a car, it will probably have doors, but that doesn't mean I won't be any less busy behind the wheel. In fact, I have the immense pleasure of going through a very intense period with my work with Alfa Romeo in F1 and with ART in DTM. I'm going to be mega busy, but mega happy.

And in the C39, when will we see you again?

Sooner rather than later, I hope. It’s up to the starters to play now.