“Beating Fernando in the same car would not have been difficult": Robert Kubica's claim on teaming up with Fernando Alonso at Ferrari in 2012

Former F1 driver and race winner Robert Kubica recently stated that he would have beaten Fernando Alonso if they had the same machinery.

The Polish driver competed in F1 from 2006 to 2010 before an accident at the 2011 Ronde di Andora rally proved career-ending. He returned for a season with Williams in 2019 and ran a couple of races with Alfa Romeo in 2021, but was severely compromised after his accident.

The accident did, however, happen at one of the most unfortunate moments for Robert Kubica because he was very highly rated on the F1 grid at the time. He'd done a brilliant season with Renault in 2010 and also had been contacted by Ferrari for a seat in 2012. Unfortunately, it did not happen as the Polish driver's accident severely injured his arm.

Talking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Kubica was asked how he thought he would have fared alongside Fernando Alonso at Ferrari in 2012. The Polish driver said that he would have beaten the Spaniard, saying (via Planet F1):

“Me and Alonso at Ferrari? I have always respected Fernando and I still do. When we raced in F1 the esteem was mutual. It is often said that for a driver the team-mate is the first opponent to beat, but I’ve always thought that to win you have to beat everyone, including your team-mate."

He added:

“Beating Fernando in the same car would not have been difficult, I would have enjoyed the challenge anyway. We think alike on so many things and having two drivers who get along well in the box is an advantage for a team."

"We would have been a high-risk couple": Kubica on Fernando Alonso partnership

Robert Kubica did admit that the duo would have been a high-risk couple, as two top drivers in the same car fighting for wins can make the relationship contentious.

Elaborating on a potential partnership with Fernando Alonso at Ferrari, Kubica said:

"Potentially we would have been a high-risk couple, but I think we would have actually done great things together. The scenario for the future was supposed to be this, when I had the accident, because in 2012 I was supposed to go to Ferrari where Fernando was."

He added:

“Then it didn’t happen, because life served me another scenario. But today I am as happy for this new adventure at Le Mans with the red car as I was when I signed for Ferrari back then.”

Fernando Alonso scripted a title charge in 2012 with Ferrari. It would have been very interesting to see how Kubica would have done in the same car.