Kubica: Russell better prepared than me

Robert Kubica says the current crop of Formula 1 rookies are better prepared for life on the grid than he was when he was first embarking on his career at the same level. Kubica will partner rookie George Russell at Williams in 2019 and hailed the Formula 2 champion's technical knowledge.

Russell enters F1 having won the championship in F2 and GP3 in successive years, the same footing from which Charles Leclerc debuted last year – the Monegasque has swapped Sauber for Ferrari in 2019.

With a Mercedes junior deal also behind Russell, he has sampled Formula 1 machinery numerous times in the past, testing with the Silver Arrows and Force India extensively in the past.

And Kubica says such exposure puts drivers on a better level with their new contemporaries when they debut.

"George is a very good driver, one of the most talented of the young generation," Kubica said. "He won F2, he won GP3, he is very talented and determined.

"As far as I know him, he is also a nice guy. He is also very mature given his young age and I think that this is a huge difference now.

"When I reached F1, the youngsters were getting to know F1 and now they are much better prepared than we were 10 or 15 years ago. They work closely with F1 teams in their junior programmes and they know a lot more than we knew.

"And I must say that he impressed me with his technical knowledge and other things."

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