Robert Kubica, whose F1 career was ended by serious injuries almost three years ago, does not think “fear” led to the decline of outgoing Ferrari driver Felipe Massa.<\/p>\n
Two years before Pole Kubica was horribly injured in a 2011 off-season rally crash, Brazilian Massa was almost killed at the wheel of his single seater, when a spring struck him on the helmet during a qualifying session.<\/p>\n
Massa bounced back into F1 but he was arguably not the same from a competitive point of view, and for 2014 he has lost his Ferrari seat and will drive for the once-great British team Williams.<\/p>\n
Asked if “fear” after returning to speed is something that could explain Massa’s situation, Kubica told Italy’s La Repubblica: “It’s a complex subject.<\/p>\n
“A driver does not simply drive.\u00a0 But I’m willing to bet that fear had nothing to do with Massa’s problems.\u00a0 And I’m sure he would confirm that too.<\/p>\n
“When you get in the car you are so concentrated that there is no room for fear.\u00a0 There are much bigger factors that can affect performance.”<\/p>\n
Asked what those factors might be, Kubica answered: “The bad luck to have a cannibal as a teammate.”<\/p>\n
Indeed, Kubica was particularly close to his friend Fernando Alonso, who utterly dominated at Maranello ever since he joined Massa in the garage.<\/p>\n
And Kubica, who won the second-tier world rally championship in 2013 and is now moving into the premier category with Ford, seems to still be among those who think Alonso is better than Sebastian Vettel.<\/p>\n
“As a driver I shouldn’t answer this question,” the 29-year-old responded.<\/p>\n
“I think Vettel is in a state of grace.\u00a0 When you have a team and a situation that is so competitive, then it gives you an unbelievable confidence.<\/p>\n
“Any driver in the top ten of F1, in that situation, would be invincible,” added Kubica.<\/p>\n
“In contrast, in the situation like Alonso where you are always pushing so hard to win, it’s a constant struggle, and the same goes for the team, trying always extraordinary things, because the ordinary is not enough.<\/p>\n
“Put it this way — Vettel is in a tunnel leading straight to victory, while Alonso is in a maze where you are trying to find the way at every turn,” he said.<\/p>\n
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