Kubica keeping his hopes up for 2019 but options are limited

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Robert Kubica, who was back behind the wheel at Williams on Friday morning, is still targeting a race seat for 2019 but admits his options are currently limited.

For the second time this season, Williams' reserve driver was offered a free practice outing behind the wheel of the team's under-performing Fw41.

Kubica completed 38 laps as he ran through his scheduled programmes. Asked after the run what he felt were the car's best qualities, the Pole responded by underlining the FW41's Mercedes engine and… its Martini livery!

Clearly, Kubica remains unimpressed with the Grove-based outfit's level of performance.

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"There is only one thing which is changing performance of the car of three seconds or two seconds per lap; and its name is downforce," he said.

"If you have more downforce, everything becomes much easier, drivers they drive better, engineers they have more room for setup, the tyres are working better because you switch them on earlier and you have less degradation.

"There is no medicine maybe for everything, but there is a big medicine which is downforce in an F1 car.

"We are coming from a difficult period, but I think we will be more competitive here than we were one week ago.

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"The team, I think, has potential and shown in the past that they can do a good job and deliver a good car and I don’t think that in a couple of months all the people become not capable of doing it," he added.

“Of course there are things to be sorted but this we keep internally. As every team in the paddock, you can always improve.”

Addressing his prospects for the future, Kubica insisted he was keeping his feet on the ground, aiming for a race seat but aware of his limited options.

"I am only targeting to be on the grid with Williams," Kubica said.

"My target is to be on the grid and then we will see. Of course realistically speaking there are not many teams I can realistically end up with or talk with."

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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.