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Lowe: "Williams to keep Kubica test information private"

Published on 12 Oct 2017 10:50
15
By: Rob Veenstra

Williams is not releasing information about Robert Kubica's test that took place at Silverstone this week. All a spokesman for the British team would say about the Pole's run in a 2014 car was that it had been "successful".

"We will not be releasing any further information at this time," the spokesman said. But it is believed Williams will follow up Kubica's Silverstone run on Wednesday with a more comprehensive two-day test in Hungary next week.

That test will also be attended by Paul di Resta, another contender to replace Felipe Massa next year. "We will test those two drivers," team technical director Paddy Lowe confirmed. "We won't give away any information around what we do within those tests -- that's a private matter for us and I would stress that it doesn't mean they're the only drivers under consideration." (GMM)

ajpennypacker

Posts: 2,475

Williams has made a reputation in recent times for hiring drivers heavy on sponsorship money, and light on talent. The exceptions like Bottas, have been sold off for good money. Organizing a personal test for Kubica and DiResta as you said, must have been very expensive. Unheard off in recent tim... [Read more]

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Oct 12 2017 - 22:00

F1 News Robert Kubica Paul di Resta Williams

Replies (15)

Orchide

Posts: 82
Well. That’s because all this is a PR stunt.
They will never release any info from this or next weeks test.
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- Oct 12 2017 - 14:57
- Savio
  
  Posts: 145
  PR?Nuts, is the opposite.
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  Oct 12 2017 - 17:09
ajpennypacker

Posts: 2,475
If they end up not hiring neither Paul nor Robert they will look really stupid and despicable.
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- Oct 12 2017 - 17:21
- Savio
  
  Posts: 145
  Definitely.
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  Oct 12 2017 - 17:28
- krommenaas
  
  Posts: 155
  No they won't. If they conclude from the test that neither of them is their best option (e.g. because they feel both are slower than Massa), what would be despicable about not hiring them?
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  Oct 13 2017 - 10:35
Barron

Posts: 625
It’s private and proprietary information and the team’s business. In which way would this be a PR stunt? How would Williams look ‘stupid’ if they decided neither driver was right for them? $millions can rest on these decisions and they are not to be taken lightly. This isn’t a drive around the car park during your lunch break. It probably cost $3/4 million just to run these two tests. That’s one heck of a ‘PR stunt’. Just because you are biased towards Robert doesn’t mean he’s the right choice for Williams or for Robert.
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- Oct 12 2017 - 17:42
- Savio
  
  Posts: 145
  If they decide to sign Wehrlein, it will mean they have done it for money, because he isn't the Williams's candidate.. He's Wolff's candidate. Even the german press "Formel 1" wrote it.
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  Oct 12 2017 - 18:13
- ajpennypacker
  
  Posts: 2,475
  Williams has made a reputation in recent times for hiring drivers heavy on sponsorship money, and light on talent. The exceptions like Bottas, have been sold off for good money. Organizing a personal test for Kubica and DiResta as you said, must have been very expensive. Unheard off in recent times, especially for a penny-pinching team like Williams. They could have waited, like everyone else, for Abu Dhabi, or Hungaroring to test the current cars.
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  Oct 12 2017 - 22:00
- Savio
  
  Posts: 145
  Paddy wants to reorganize the team to succed, they need a strong driver like Kubica.
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  Oct 12 2017 - 22:17
- Orchide
  
  Posts: 82
  Ok, how can Williams draw as much attention to their brand as possible? By signing a driver behind the scenes? This is optimal for Williams. All over media, probably new sponsors etc. Speculations about who will get that seat is good for them, even WEH is linked to that seat and he is under 25. An engine deal from Merc to sign WEH is no way near the millions Martini is giving them so they probably have something to say about the drivers as they will front their brand.
  Kubicas and Di Restas management are for sure paying for the tests.
  
  They will probably ens up signing the driver who brings the most cash/sponsors/engine deals or Massa if they don’t get a deal that is good enough. If they choose Massa for another year, he will probably have to renegotiate his salary to zero. ?
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  Oct 13 2017 - 00:38
- Savio
  
  Posts: 145
  In the interview for Olimp (only one Kubica's sponsor) Kubica said that if he had to pay for these tests, it wouldn't make a sense because he hasn't enaugh money. Yesterday British journalist Ant Rawlinson wrote that If Kubica would find employement he could count on support from polish oil company and supermarkets.
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  Oct 13 2017 - 10:13
- krommenaas
  
  Posts: 155
  Orchide: all over F1 fan sites maybe. >95% of people who watch F1 will never even know about these tests.
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  Oct 13 2017 - 10:37
- Orchide
  
  Posts: 82
  Krommenass. You don’t think this has been all over the news in Poland? Even in Sweden articles has been published about this in the biggest newspapers and they almost never publish anything regarding motor sports.
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  Oct 13 2017 - 20:58
mcbhargav

Posts: 1,332
How many teams will milk Kubica, for Publicity ? whose Toro Rosso?
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- Oct 13 2017 - 00:57
boudy

Posts: 1,168
They should be going after Button/Rosberg even Alonso...
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- Oct 13 2017 - 17:10