Robert Kubica is gearing up for his grand prix debut in Hungary this weekend in the knowledge that a convincing performance may earn him a full-time race drive at BMW Sauber.


Team boss Mario Theissen has refused to guarantee that Jacques Villeneuve’s seat will be left open for him when the Canadian has fully recuperated from the effects of his Hockenheim crash.


Kubica has impressed the whole Formula 1 paddock with his accomplished Friday performances as BMW’s third driver this season, and has been widely tipped for promotion to a race seat in 2007.
But Villeneuve’s absence has presented the 21-year-old with an early opportunity to make his mark.

“I knew just one hour before they announced it, so it was quite unexpected for me to join the team on Sunday for the race,” Kubica told a press conference at the Hungaroring on Thursday.
“It is a good opportunity for me, a good chance not only to run on Friday, but to see how Saturday and Sunday work, to discover a weekend of Formula 1, and I hope for a good weekend.”

When asked why BMW should choose him over an experienced hand like Villeneuve for the rest of this season, Kubica replied:

“Maybe the pace! I don’t know – you have to ask Mario and not me.”

And although he is out to make the most of his opportunity, Kubica is not expecting the transition from testing to racing to be easy.

“This is a good chance for me, but I don’t think it’s easy to judge someone after one race,” he said.
“It will be difficult to stay with [team-mate] Nick [Heidfeld], such an experienced driver, and I have to discover everything that happens during a grand prix weekend: new qualifying format, etc.
“The last race I did was Macau last year, so it’s a long time ago and qualifying will be very important, but we have to see what I can do.
“I have to jump into the car and drive as fast as I can and then we will see.”

On Sunday Kubica will become the first Polish driver to compete in a grand prix. But having made it to F1 with little backing from his home country he says he can take or leave Polish support.

“A lot of people have helped me, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.
“I have had very little support from Polish people; especially it wasn’t easy when I got into single-seaters and I had to find the budget, and the people in Poland weren’t interested.
“Most of the people were laughing that I wanted to get into Formula 1.
“But it happened so I’m very proud – and if I’m here without Polish support, I can manage to stay here longer without them.”

Source: itv.com/f1