Apr.15 (GMM) As the uncertainty about Felipe Massa's contract rises, Robert Kubica is increasingly mentioned as his most likely successor.
Renault has a multiple year contract with the 25-year-old Pole, who after switching from BMW-Sauber has been a standout of the season so far.But Italian sources have indicated that a move to Ferrari for 2011 is not out of the question for Kubica.The highest placed driver not at the wheel of a Ferrari, Red Bull or Mercedes in the 2010 world championship, Kubica told Switzerland's Blick: "I want to be champion, no matter what car I drive."Several times in recent days, the 2008 Canadian GP winner has been mentioned as ruing his time with BMW and insisting he is much happier at Renault this season."When I was the championship leader in 2008, they helped Heidfeld to make up his gap rather than concentrate on me. It was amateurish."I knew I had to leave as soon as I could," admitted Kubica.He told Italy's Autosprint that, after spending another season with BMW last year, he is much more at home with Renault."I think the atmosphere around you, and the trust that you have with the people you're working with, is very important."Today I feel the team's confidence in me and I feel like I have more energy than in previous seasons. I feel better, even though it is not the car of my dreams," said Kubica, referring to the yellow and red R30.He said good results in Melbourne and Malaysia, including a podium, were helped by "luck". "Both times the starts were decisive and offset our problems of qualifying."But we can't always rely on this from our opponents," added Kubica. "Before trying to crack the top four teams, we have to be wary of Force India, especially in qualifying."