M-Sport wants Robert Kubica to lead WRC team in 2014
M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson wants Robert Kubica as his team leader in the 2014 World Rally Championship
While the Pole has yet to decide whether he will commit to a full season in the WRC, M-Sport's Ford squad is emerging as the favourite home for him if he does.
Wilson says he has seen enough of Kubica's talent to know he could lead the team.
AUTOSPORT's verdict on Kubica's WRC year
"You only have to look at the way Robert prepared for Rally GB to see what this all means to him," said Wilson.
"He has a desire and hunger which you don't see in many drivers and I truly believe he has everything that's needed to drive this team on."
M-Sport ran Thierry Neuville, Mads Ostberg and Evgeny Novikov as its full-time 2013 line-up, but has lost Neuville to the new Hyundai team and is yet to announce any 2014 drivers.
Wilson scotched talk that Kubica might struggle in the WRC's top class.
Although he won the WRC2 title this season, he crashed twice when Citroen promoted him to a World Rally Car for Rally GB.
"We know Robert and I think we could give him the right tools to move forward in rallying," said Wilson.
"It would be fantastic for us as a team to have him with us and there's no doubt he would make a very good number one driver.
"You talk about a lack of experience; look at us this year: we had a driver with very little experience [Neuville] and we got him to second in the championship."
Kubica returned to competition last week when he finished fourth on the Citta dei Mille rally in Italy.
He was driving a Peugeot 207 S2000 with Polish co-driver Jakub Gerber. The pair had to fight back from 45th following a driveshaft breakage on the first stage.
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