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Robert Kubica has admitted that he was not 100 percent happy with his showing at the in-season test at the Hungaroring yesterday. The Pole made his first test appearance in six yesterday on Wednesday morning, sparking a remarkable comeback after his life-threatening accident in 2011.
The 2008 Canadian Grand Prix winner set 142 laps around the circuit and has played down questions relating to his fitness, claiming he could easily go back out and set another 142. Renault may well be happy to hear it as it was assessing his return capabilities and how he coped in a new generation F1 car.
"Hungary we know it's a difficult track, it's one of the most physical tracks," he said after the session. "Coming here, Nico Hulkenberg said the same, that if I will be able to drive here, probably I'll be able to drive everywhere.
"It has been hard work but I think most of the drivers had hard time today behind the wheel. You can predict it wasn't easy, which I'm not hiding, but it was good. In the end, we have done over 140 laps. I could drive I think tomorrow easily so fitness level is good, which is a good sign.
"There are sides which need to be improved or need to get better but it's always like this. If someone would tell me three months ago that I would be here and cover 140 laps, I would have signed straight away but once you are here, you want to do better and more. But I have to say we have to be happy and I'm happy."
When asked if he felt happy with his return, he replied: "Yes, but not 100 percent happy. There was a turning point of today actually, the first time I jumped out of the car was lunch break, I got in the car before 9 o'clock and I drove until 1 o'clock and didn't have time to think about what's going on, to reshuffle everything, to give priority to things, I was just collecting information and picking up feelings but I didn't have the time to sort them out.
"Once I jumped out of the car I have big break and I jump back at 2 o'clock and I felt like a different driver, car felt much more familiar, it's a good sign as it means that a lot of people think you improve only by driving but you can improve also by thinking, and thinking where you can improve and this is what happened and for sure if I was driving tomorrow I'd have some idea where I can improve. For sure I can feel more familiar with the car and everything will come easier and more natural which is the target."
Fergal Walsh
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Replies (2)
Login to replyf1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
He should be pretty proud of himself. 142 laps...
StigsSon
Posts: 35
"..a lot of people think you improve only by driving but you can improve also by thinking.."
The thought-pattern of a champion..