Kubica closer to returning to F1

Polish driver Robert Kubica set the fastest time by a Williams driver at this week's Abu Dhabi test bringing him closer to the potential Formula 1 return. The 32-year-old Pole set the best time 0.5 seconds quicker than Renault reserve driver Sergey Sirotkin, who is also being assessed by Williams. Although the team’s technical director Paddy Lowe said that the results might be misleading. “It’s a really complicated topic, performance, and speed, so to read a timesheet is quite misleading. So I‘m not going to talk about that. We haven’t even analyzed it for ourselves,” he said adding that Kubica had done a “fantastic” job during the two-day trials. Kubica’s F1 career was cut short when he sustained serious injuries to his hand during a rally race in 2011. Since then he has raced in various competitions, but his physical condition prevented him from driving an F1 car. This year, he did three tests for Renault, and after the team decided not to sign him he switched to Williams for which he performed in two practice events before the final tests in Abu Dhabi this week. His performance will now be analyzed and decision on who will be the team’s second driver should be announced in December with Kubica being the frontrunner for the position.