Williams Chief Technical Officer Paddy Lowe says Robert Kubica will ‘almost certainly’ drive for the team in the post-Abu Dhabi Grand Prix tyre test later this month.
In June, Kubica returned to the cockpit of a Formula 1 car for the first time since 2011 when he drove Renault’s 2012 car in Valencia.
Renault further evaluated Kubica as a serious contender for a 2018 seat, which including running the 32-year-old in the post-Hungarian Grand Prix test.
Kubica impressed but the team opted for Carlos Sainz Jr, leaving Williams as Kubica’s last chance of returning to the sport following his horrific rallying accident six years ago.
The Grove-based outfit ran Kubica for two days in its 2014 car at Silverstone and the Hungaroring.
According to Lowe, it’s likely he will get his first chance at driving its current machinery in the post-race tyre test in Abu Dhabi.
“Almost certainly we’ll give him one of the tyre test days after Abu Dhabi,” Lowe told Sky Sport Germany.
“Obviously it’s something that’s getting a lot of attention and notice, but it’s something we’re going to do internally, so we won’t tell anyone what we’re doing at this stage.”
Kubica is facing stiff competition for a seat alongside current Williams driver Lance Stroll. The team’s reserve driver Paul di Resta, Mercedes junior Pascal Wehrlein and Red Bull outcast Daniil Kvyat.
