System 1 race winner Robert Kubica is trying more and more sure to stay with the AF Corse buyer Hypercar workforce within the World Endurance Championship subsequent yr.
Kubica advised Motorsport.com that he “did not come right here for only one yr” when questioned after final weekend’s 2024 WEC finale in Bahrain about whether or not he would race the yellow-liveried Ferrari 499P Le Mans Hypercar once more.
However he harassed that “there may be loads of work to do” for subsequent yr at a workforce that claimed victory at Austin in September however did not constantly match the manufacturing unit arm of the AF workforce over the season.
“It isn’t a straightforward determination, so we are going to see,” he stated.
Kubica, who partnered Ferrari manufacturing unit drivers Yifei Ye and Robert Shwartzman in AF’s satellite tv for pc entry in 2024, had discussions with workforce boss Amato Ferrari over the course of the WEC finale in Bahrain final weekend.
Ferrari defined that he was hopeful that Kubica will stay with the workforce subsequent yr.
“Every part is optimistic and all of us need Robert again, however no deal is completed,” he stated.
Antonello Coletta, Ferrari’s head of sportscar racing, additionally expressed hopes that Kubica will keep, saying “Our dream is to take care of Robert with us”.
#83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Robert Kubica, Phil Hanson, Yifei Ye
Picture by: JEP / Motorsport Pictures
Kubica remained with AF on the Bahrain Worldwide Circuit on the day after the WEC race for Phil Hanson’s first take a look at within the Ferrari he’ll race within the WEC subsequent yr.
The Briton, who’s swapping over from the British Jota buyer Porsche workforce when it turns into Cadillac’s manufacturing unit WEC squad, is the primary driver to be introduced for the #83 AF entry for subsequent yr.
Shwartzman is leaving Ferrari on the finish of this yr, Coletta confirmed.
He defined that the 25-year-old will depart each the line-up at AF and Ferrari’s roster of manufacturing unit drivers after he “determined to make one other alternative”.
Shwartzman, who has been a Ferrari System 1 reserve since 2023 after graduating from the Italian producer’s academy programme, will probably be introduced because the team-mate of the already confirmed Callum Ilott at Prema’s new IndyCar workforce imminently.
Ye, who turned a manufacturing unit Ferrari driver for this season, is predicted to stay within the line-up of the #83 automotive.
