Grapevine: Kubica switches to the bowling lane

The BMW Sauber driver is spending his time between the Singapore and Japanese Grands Prix competing in the Columbia 300 Vienna Open - and is adamant he is not just having a bit of fun.

"I always try to explain to the people who don't know bowling, as a lot of them say, 'I hear you are bowling.' and they see bowling like a party game - where you go drinking beer and have fun," said Kubica in a video interview on bowling digital.com.

"I try to explain to them that it is really, really technical and really difficult. You have to have a lot of knowledge, experience and precision - something that is similar to F1 - precision. We have to be precise on our lanes where we go and it is the same here with bowling. If you make a slight mistake in bowling it costs you a lot, and it is the same in F1."

Kubica took up bowling in 2003 when he got bored at home in Poland, although he abandoned it briefly when motor racing commitments dominated his life. He renewed his interest in the sport again recently, and in July he competed in his first European Bowling Tour event - the Storm San Marino Open. He finished in 191st place.

And although some may be surprised by how far he has taken his love of bowling, he says he is not the only one in F1 following it.

"I played with Lewis (Hamilton) once when we were still in F3, around five or six years ago. I know Rubens Barrichello plays a bit and I hear in Michael Schumacher's house he installed two lanes for playing - although I don't know if that is true.

"Fernando, he plays (also). I always say to him, 'come out and play.' But he doesn't want to because he is not good, so he doesn't like that I beat him...maybe one day we will have an F1 drivers' championship for bowling."