Kubica still targeting F1 racing return in 2019

Robert Kubica has confirmed he is still focused on returning to racing in Formula 1 next year but accepts his future plans won’t be confirmed until the top race seats start to be confirmed.

The former Grand Prix winner missed out on a full-time return to F1 this year battling for a race seat at Williams but lost out to Sergey Sirotkin.

Kubica did land a third and reserve driver role at the British squad which has included multiple test outings plus a handful of FP1 drives including last weekend at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Kubica has confirmed his targets remain unchanged from last year as he aims for a full-time return to F1 in 2019.

“My status and my position doesn’t change since the end of last year,” Kubica said. “Of course there will be a lot of talks although I’m staying away from them. It looks like in November, December I was the top topic, which is normal.

“Now the top guys, they have to first find the seats. I’m trying. Of course my target will be to race next year but this hasn’t changed since, as I said, the end of last year. So we will see.”

Kubica last competed in F1 eight years ago with Renault before he suffered a horrific right forearm injury in a rallying crash at the start of 2011.

Since returning to fitness Kubica has competed in the World Rally Championship as well as a handful of sportscar events before turning his attention to an F1 comeback last year.

“There are more seats, more teams that might change their drivers,” he said. “I am just targeting to be on the grid with Williams.

“My target is to be on the grid and we will see. Realistically speaking, there are not many teams I can end up with or talk with. There is no magic.”