Kubica says still fighting for the title

The BMW Sauber driver, who led the championship earlier in the season, moved back into third place in the standings following the Belgian Grand Prix.

Kubica is now 18 points behind Lewis Hamilton and 16 behind Felipe Massa with just five races left, including this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

And despite having finished on the podium just once in the last six races, the Pole admits he has not given up on his title hopes.

"For me I am still thinking about trying my best and to try and fight for the championship," Kubica told reporters at Monza on Thursday. "I have to use the opportunities like when Kimi was off, and strange grands prix like this.

"Otherwise it is difficult in normal grands prix, without mistakes and without problems from McLaren and Ferrari, it is difficult to beat them."

Kubica suggested, however, that BMW Sauber's priority has been the constructors' championship in the last races.

"From my point of view it is very clear," he said. "I am a racing driver and I am fighting for my best, and as soon as I am doing my best I am doing it for myself and for the team.

"It is clear that if I score eight points they go to the team and to my account, but maybe the priority of late for the team was a bit different from myself.

"That is why you get this feeling and to be honest I get a bit this feeling, that maybe I am the only stupid one or crazy one who is thinking about fighting for the championship this season.

"Until there is no chance I have to do it - and I hope the team is doing the same, and I believe they are trying. That is how it is."

The Pole, winner of the Canadian Grand Prix, instead BMW have been unable to keep up with the development rate of rivals Ferrari and McLaren.

"I think we didn't improve the car as much as Ferrari and McLaren. If you go deeply into the details, in the first three races we were on a very similar level to Ferrari and McLaren, but afterwards when we get to Europe the gap becomes bigger.

"In the fourth race at Barcelona, Ferrari were much stronger than us and this gap stays quite close. Even in Monaco, or Canada where I won, the gap to the fastest car was pretty big. It was just circumstances that allowed us to win the race.

"But still I was fighting with Raikkonen and lately I am still fighting with Kimi, sometimes like in Valencia and in Hockenheim where I was in front of him before the safety car, but the gap to the winner becomes bigger.

"In Valencia I finished third, a good position, but nearly 40 seconds behind the winner. It is quite a big gap."