Loeb: Kubica will be faster than Räikkönen in rally

Grievously injured during the Ronde di Andora rally in February 2011, Robert Kubica has not yet given up on his hopes of returning to Formula 1, even though he recently admitted he does not yet feel ready to drive a single-seater. In the meantime, the Pole is focusing on rallying – his other passion – with the ambition of preparing for Formula 1 while progressing in a discipline where he envisions a long-term future.

Going the other way, from rally tracks to circuits, Sébastien Loeb believes that the native of Krakow has the potential to compete at the highest level and considers the Pole potentially faster than Kimi Räikkönen: “For Robert, the potential to reach the top [in rallies] is very good,” estimates the nine-time world rally champion in the columns of the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat. “He is fast, he still needs experience but I think Robert will become faster than Kimi. It’s still hard to judge but I can say he really wants to improve.”

In 2010 and 2011, away from the Formula 1 paddocks, Kimi Räikkönen also tried his hand at rallying. Twice, the Finn finished in tenth place in the WRC standings, totaling 59 points and securing a fifth place at the 2010 Rally of Turkey as his best result. Robert Kubica, on the other hand, has not yet discovered the tracks of the World Rally Championship, currently competing in the European Championship, but that does not stop Sebastian Loeb from seeing a greater potential for progress in the Pole: « Kimi was really good from the start but then he couldn’t improve as he wanted. He returned to Formula 1 and won again, which shows how completely different F1 and Rally are. » And the Frenchman added: « Robert Kubica is very serious about rallying and he works hard to improve. »