Q & A with Robert Kubica

Robert Kubica: We tried to prepare for the Grand Prix. We tried some new stuff but we didn't have a lot of aero parts to test. It was quite windy so the weather didn't help us. But still it was a productive day. We will see.

Q. You tried some new parts?

RK: We used a different front wing, but it's not a new front wing it's just a different version of the one we were using already. We have I think some small changes to aero in some places on the car but nothing big.

Q. What are your expectations for the weekend. Will Silverstone be better than Magny-Cours?

RK: I think, I hope we will be back to the normal pace. So I am expecting not to fall down behind the Toyotas. But still I think the gap to Ferrari and McLaren will be pretty big so it will be very difficult to compete against them. But everything can change so the weather can have a big influence. We will be back to the normal pace, the normal standard, but it means that the gap to the fastest car will be quite big.

Is it difficult for you to go from winning at Montreal to be fighting for fifth place in Magny-Cours? People thought that after winning in Canada that we will be fighting for wins in Magny Cours. But if you look at the details, not just watching final results, you will see that in Canada the gap to Hamilton was still pretty big. In the end I think Canada we were helped by track conditions.

The track was breaking up and the Ferraris were struggling more. but in the race until Raikkonen and Hamilton crashed they had much better pace than mine. Of course, the gap was bigger in France, that's why we were looking a bit worse. I think we know why, so that's why I am expecting us to be back to the normal standard but still missing quite a lot to the fastest cars.

Q. Could Toyota be a threat?

RK: We will see. There are three or four teams that were behind us in Magny Cours. It looks like the gap to Ferrari and McLaren is getting bigger and bigger so it depends how much Toyota is improving from Grand Prix to Grand Prix.

Q. What is your explanation for being in such bad shape in Magny-Cours?

RK: I don't think it was very bad shape. It was just a bit worse than it was in the last three or four Grands Prix. The problem as I said was that people in Canada they pick up on us as a winning team. Yes, we won, but we didn't have the pace of the fastest car in Canada. So in the end the gap to Ferrari was very big in Magny-Cours, bigger than lately, but Ferrari was always very strong in Magny-Cours. But to McLaren, the gap was very difficult to judge because of penalties, but it was very similar to what it was in Canada.

Q. But Jarno Trulli was ahead of you at Magny-Cours?

RK: Yes, they have improved and maybe we chose some wrong ways to go and that's why it happened. But the only difference was that one car was there, the Toyota of Trulli, otherwise everything would be very much similar to in the previous three races.

It was just that the car felt less quick because of some changes and we lost maybe a couple of tenths. Otherwise the situation at the racetrack would have looked the same as before. Is this year's car more difficult to set up than last year?

No. I don't think so. At the beginning of the season it was maybe like this but at the beginning of the season we had many problems and the car was very difficult to drive. For me it's much easier but it depends on who you ask. I don't think in Magny-Cours we had a setup problem.

Q. Can BMW close the gap?

RK: Looking at what happened recently, the gap has increased. In F1 everything can change quickly. If the gap keeps increasing for the next two or three races then it will be very difficult to catch Ferrari and McLaren. It's true also that at the beginning of the season it was much easier to fight them.

In Australia we were ahead of Ferrari. In Malaysia and Bahrain we were in front of McLaren. But the last three or four races we are not but the gap is much bigger so even if you set up the car perfectly and do a perfect qualifying the gap is big enough that it's impossible to be in front of them or close to them.

Q. Do you think that it's more important to concentrate on next year to develop the car for the new rules so you can fight for the championship?

RK: It's a difficult question. In the end the season is still very long and of course you need to put maximum effort in to improve this year's car to compete because the season is very long. There are many points to be scored and nothing is clear. OK, we are in front of McLaren in the constructors' championship, but pace-wise we are not in front of them. Sooner or later they will overtake us. And about next year, maybe every single team is already working on next year. It depends on how much percent you put for this year and next year. It's very difficult to decide.

Q. So you are relying on mistakes from the top two to get ahead?

RK: Looking at their pace it would be very difficult to stay in front of Ferrari and McLaren without their mistakes. It has been like this for four or five Grands Prix. It is nothing new.

Q. Is your position in the championship going to make the team focus on this year to fight for the title?

RK: I don't know. You have to ask Mario or Willy. For me, we should work for this year and then see what is going on for next year. Of course as a driver I feel I have shown that I can fight for top positions and at the beginning of the season we had a very good car that was able to fight with McLaren and Ferrari. We have shown that as a package of team and driver that we can fight for top positions. But once the gap to the front cars is bigger it can be more difficult. That's the biggest problem.

Q. If you look at the top drivers in the championship they have all made big mistakes except you. You have been quite free from mistakes. Do you feel you are ready to win the title?

RK: The only reason why I am second in the championship is this. If I had not finished two or three races I would have 15 or 20 points less and then I'd be fourth or fifth. For me it's important to score as many points as possible and to give the maximum. If my maximum is enough to win, good, if not then we have to improve. But I am trying to make sure that I will score points which is most important I think in our position now as we don't have the car to fight for winning. The only way I can stay in front of those drivers is because they make mistakes or have problems.

Q. But do you feel ready for the title?

RK: I don't know. If after seven races some driver is leading the championship but doesn't feel ready to win it then he has to stay home!