From Germany Cezary Gutowski
- – We tested something that did not work, so later we went back to the previous configuration, but also with some changes – reported the course of the Friday rides by a Pole
- Last weekend he was in the last 16th place in qualifying twice, with a huge 0.4-0.5 seconds behind the driver ahead.
- – Step by step it is getting closer, but I think it will take a few races. We, on our part, do everything to help him and his team. So that they can find themselves better in it all – said Jens Marquardt
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Is it going for the better? On Friday’s preparations for the second series of DTM races at Lausitzring – a slightly extended weekend this weekend – Robert Kubica has made clear progress, but is skeptical for the rest of the weekend. – The status is that we’re messing around. In my opinion, something has improved, but not enough, it will not really help us much – said the Pole after Friday’s rides, in an interview with “Przegląd Sportowy”
Two training sessions took place on Friday. In the first, 45-minute time, the Pole took his place, with a huge loss of 2 seconds to the fastest championship leader Nico Muller in Audi. In the second, 30-minute time, the Pole moved up to the 13th place, and he reduced the loss, again to Muller, by a second. This is a clear progress, but Kubica was far from enthusiastic.
– We tested something that did not work, so later we went back to the previous configuration, but also with some changes – he reported on the course of Friday drives. – It wasn’t as tragic as it was last week. Let’s say that the balance of the car is not so bad, which is very … Weird because if the car is well balanced and you lose a second, it means that the grip you have is not too great – added the Cracovian.
Last weekend, the Pole was twice in the last, 16th place in qualifying, with a huge 0.4-0.5 seconds behind the driver in front, which was a huge gap. Now, after training, at least you are caught in the DTM rate, although the use of new tire sets twice helped to achieve these results. “We’ve been doing some trials, and it’s going to rain tomorrow,” Robert said.
Hopes for better results, perhaps the first points this season, are carried by weather forecasts that promise rain. Meanwhile, it was on a wet track – during tests at the Nurburgring and training at Spa. – Kubica was among the top DTM leaders. Nevertheless, the Pole cools down expectations:
– I’ve been in this sport too long to be naive and think I’m such a guru who drives so fast in the wet. In the rain a lot depends on the feel you have in your car. If you go to the track, you will be comfortable in the car and the grip will be good right away, the task becomes easier. We saw it, for example, at the Spa or Nurburgring tracks when it rained, but – as I say – I have been in this sport too long to enjoy it now, because very often you won’t shoot yourself with tire pressures or something else, There is no such feeling, and suddenly high expectations do not do well. So we will see … – our driver reserved.
Admittedly, after the terrible qualifications, Kubica always moved forward in the races, finishing the competition at the Lausitzring in 13th position, but the time losses are so serious that BMW promises the support of the private team of ORLEN Team ART, debuting in the DTM. “I think he has to settle in here,” said BMW’s motorsport chief. – Spa was hard and we all had problems there, as a BMW, so it was difficult for him. At the Lausitzring, we already saw in the first race that he made progress. We all know how difficult the DTM is and how hard it is to drive these cars to get the most out of them, said Jens Marquardt, ignoring the fact that during winter tests, in the factory-prepared BMW Kubica model, he had no major problems with it and he was getting times in fully comparable with regular players.
– Step by step it is getting closer, but I think it will take a few races. We, on our part, do everything to help him and his team. To make them fit better in all of this, ‘added Marquardt, but in practice there is little he can do. The teams servicing the factory BMW cars have been working on this for years. There are no shortcuts in this sport. – There has always been help, but we have what was already agreed and what BMW can offer us – explained the situation of Kubica. – Everyone has to take care of their own garden and we have to take care of our own. BMW helps us as much as it can. We have some information from them and all that they promised to give us, that’s it. Now we have to take advantage of it – concluded the Pole.
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