Kubica: Williams yet to prepare for Australian GP

Robert Kubica says the delay in getting Williams started at pre-season testing has meant they have done no preparation for when racing starts at the Australian Grand Prix. Williams only started running on the third afternoon of testing after delays in getting the FW42 built.

It has been reported that a fundamental error in design was to blame for Williams' absence at the start of testing, putting senior staff under scrutiny.

Kubica got his hands on the car for the first time on Thursday morning, racking up 48 laps, but admitted that many of them were ultimately inconsequential.

"Definitely we cannot talk [as though] I did prepare something for Australia," he said.

"I'm in the same situation as I was one month ago, three months ago.

"So this week it was more about getting something done for the team which was a big challenge to bring the car first and now we are here it's more about preparing the car for next week.

"It doesn't feel like day four of testing. It felt like day one."

#RK88 takes to the track! #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/N2U0NqL6XE — ROKiT WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) February 21, 2019

Some of Williams' staff have been in Barcelona for almost a week as they had planned to run a shakedown ahead of testing, which had to be cancelled.

Kubica says the end result is a FW42 that he described as "compromised".

"I got the opportunity for 12 laps to get a feel for the car, which is of course limiting," he said. "At least all sorts of stuff we achieved – not all, it wasn't an easy morning.

"I've been here since last Friday. I've never waited so long to get 12-14 laps, that I could drive my own pace.

"You just prepare what you can. It wasn't nice days for all the team, but finally we got the car. In the end the team did a good job to build it up as quick as possible.

"Of course there are some compromises, I think so. But finally we got the car, so we can concentrate on our job, and look forward to next week."

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