Robert Kubica continues to impress in his debut season in the World Rally Championship. In his Citroën DS3 RRC, the Pole claimed his second consecutive win in WRC2 at Rally Italia Sardegna.
Sixth in Portugal and then winner at the Acropolis Rally, Robert Kubica’s rivals were eager to fight back at Rally Italia Sardegna. Facing stiffer competition than in Greece, the Pole was determined to keep up his rich vein of form, despite still only having limited experience in the category.
On Friday morning, the DS3 RRC driver flew out of the blocks, not only winning the first stage but completing it at one second quicker per kilometre than all his rivals! After another stage win on SS2, he had a little setback when he damaged the rear of his car after a minor impact. He nonetheless made it to the remote service in Sassari with a 50-second lead over his nearest challenger.
Building on the experience acquired on the first loop, Robert and his co-driver Maciek Baran turned the screw in the afternoon. Simply unbeatable, they extended their lead to close to two minutes! The day concluded with two runs on the Gallura stage. Particularly hindered by the fading light and the dust kicked up by cars that were ahead of him on the road, Robert had to slow down several times and could only manage the seventh fastest time. On the second run, held after nightfall, everything went better since he improved his time by a minute in spite of a radio problem!
In comparison to the first leg, day two was a lot easier to manage. With a much better starting position, the Pole no longer had to contend with the hanging dust. Without taking any unnecessary risks, he produced the perfect display, winning eight out of eight stages!
At the finish, he won by 4m 17s from Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari, current leader of the WRC2 championship. “Obviously, I’m pleased to win again at an event that is completely different to Greece. Every day I spend in the DS3 RRC gives me a bit more experience. I feel good about my driving, but also about my understanding of the road surface and the reactions of the car. It wasn’t easy all the time, as we did have a few problems that are specific to gravel rallies, such as the dust. It was a good learning experience to drive in conditions like these, but I didn’t enjoy it at all because of the danger involved.”
Robert Kubica now lies fourth overall in the WRC2 championship standings, with 58 points from three rallies. With an average of over 18 points at each round in which he has competed, the Pole may be able to challenge for the title. Robert played down his chances: “My main goal is still to learn about driving at this level. Obviously, I won’t complain if I achieve good results! But above all, I take satisfaction from the personal progress I’m making.”
Robert Kubica and Maciek Baran’ season continues at the legendary Rally Finland, the next round of the WRC: “It’s another huge challenge for me. I’m really looking forward to it, because it is one of the most famous, renowned rallies. You need a lot of experience to race at this level, but I think that’s even more the case in the country of a thousand lakes.”