ERC Canaries: Robert Kubica cautious despite shakedown pace

The Pole was six tenths of a second faster than anybody else on his first competitive drive in a Citroen DS3 RRC, completing seven runs of the two-mile asphalt stage just outside Las Palmas.

After completing his final preparations for the third round of the ERC, Kubica said: "Shakedown doesn't matter but it was important to get some time in the car and have some more information following our short test here on Monday.

"We need to work quite a lot still but generally everything has been good for us so far."

Despite his time in the car, Kubica admitted he was still short on confidence.

He added: "I would lie if I say yes [I had confidence]. We are losing downforce so we have to keep working with the set-up so I am confident with the car and really showing what the car will do. There are fast stages with some very narrow parts and there is no margin for a mistake.

"But for each rally I come to for the first time it's going to be a shock because experience is very, very important in rallying and when you are on the stages for the first time it's a very difficult and big challenge."

Kubica is seeded fifth for his ERC debut. The Canaries Rally starts from Las Palmas tonight, with the first competitive action at 0748 (local and UK time) tomorrow morning.