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Montoya: 'Kubica at Williams is a joke!'

As pundits speculate on Robert Kubica's potential return to F1, one man who doesn't believe in the Pole's sensational comeback is former Williams driver Juan-Pablo Montoya.

Kubica has been short-listed by the Grove-based outfit and tested recently alongside Paul di Resta in two separate days of running at Silverstone and in Hungary with a 2014-spec car.

Williams is also likely to provide the 32-year-old with an outing at Abu Dhabi's upcoming end-of-season tyre test before revealing its final decision on its 2018 driver line-up.

Williams still in no rush to replace Massa, but Kubica inches closer

Montoya remains unconvinced by Kubica's prospects however.

"Honestly, it's a joke," said the seven-time Grand Prix winner who raced for Williams between 2001 and 2004.

"I'm sure Robert is no longer 100 per cent capable of pushing a Formula 1 car to the limit."

Williams co-founder Patrick Head begged to differ however, and backs Williams' decision to give Kubica a test in a new-spec car.

"Robert was one of the best drivers in F1 of recent years," Haed told Finland's Turun Sanomat.

"Only he knows how ready he is for the challenge. He was seriously injured, and Williams wants to find out what his situation is.

"If he is able to perform from a physical point of view, he is a very good choice," Head added.

While Paul di Resta remains in the running for next season's drive alongside Lance Stroll, a reported EUR 8 million in sponsorship associated with Kubica, and collected in part by co-manager Nico Rosberg, could just be the deal breaker for the Pole.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.