Following on from their first outing last week at Silverstone, 2018 Williams hopefuls Robert Kubica and Paul di Resta have completed a second day of running in the 2014 car, this time at Budapest’s Hungaroring circuit.
The two men are hoping to replace current driver Felipe Massa at the Grove-based team next season with Polish driver Kubica completing what was described as a “productive” day on Tuesday behind the wheel at the same track he made his public debut at earlier this summer in a test for Renault.
On Wednesday, Di Resta, who’s performance standing in for the Brazilian at the Hungarian Grand Prix earned him the opportunity to return to a race seat for the first time since 2013, will also run as Williams do back-to-back comparisons.
The battle over his seat has left Massa very unhappy as he has maintained the belief he is the best option alongside youngster Lance Stroll. Earlier he claimed those with motorsport knowledge were supporting his bid to remain while later suggesting thing would be “very much worse” if he was forced out.
The 37-year-old has also hinted money could be a factor with Kubica reportedly offering substantial backing from Poland along with his reputation which once saw him as a future world champion by many.
Regardless, Massa, who put off retirement to continue this season, enabling Valtteri Bottas to join Mercedes, has put a deadline in place for when he wants his future to be determined.
“We don’t have a deadline but I think it would be good for the team and for myself that we know what is going to happen before the race in Brazil to see what is possible,” he said.
If that is to be met, Williams has just three weeks to go through the data of the respective tests and come up with a decision.
