Quantcast

Speculation over Williams drive continues

By Andrew Hooper
November 22 2017

 
 Speculation over Williams drive continues
 
Kubica
 

With the Williams Martini team about to commence their final Grand Prix weekend of the 2017 Formula One season for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, followed by a post-Abu Dhabi Pirelli tyre test, the speculation over who will replace Felipe Massa at the Williams team has continued to grow.

Currently the team appears to have Kubica, Di Resta, Wehrlein, and Kvyat on their short list but the majority of the speculation has Kubica been the most likely choice. Such is this speculation that the Williams team has been forced to come out and deny that it has already made a decision seeing Kubica join the team in 2018.

They have also stated that they would not be making any announcement during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend. A lot of the speculation regarding Kubica has come about due to the fact that the Williams team has had him testing in a 2014 Williams twice in the last months. Also Kubica is set to drive the team's 2017 car in the post-Abu Dhabi test.

In a statement from the Williams team they made it clear that no decision has been made. The statement said: "Although conversations are ongoing with Kubica, it is still yet to be finally decided who will replace Massa."

"We will make an announcement when we have something to announce but nothing is planned this weekend in Abu Dhabi."

Adding to the speculation is the fact that ot has been announced that Sergey Sirotkin is set to join Kubica in testing a 2017 Williams in the post-Abu Dhabi test. It is understood that Sirotkin is expected to run on one one and Kubica the other.

As to whether this test of Sirotkin shows some indication that Williams have added him to their shortlist is yet to be determined but it would seem the obvious conclusion to draw along with the fact that he may be able to bring further financial backing to the Williams team.

But for now the Williams team has made it clear that they will not be making any announcement on its final 2018 line-up until after this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

 

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with: