Formulation 1 race winner Robert Kubica is trying more and more sure to stay with the AF Corse buyer Hypercar crew within the World Endurance Championship subsequent yr.
Kubica informed Autosport that he “didn’t 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 confused that “there may be quite a lot of work to do” for subsequent yr at a crew that claimed victory at Austin in September however did not constantly match the manufacturing unit arm of the AF crew over the season.
“It’s not a straightforward resolution, so we are going to see,” he mentioned.
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 crew 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 crew subsequent yr.
“Every little thing is constructive and all of us need Robert again, however no deal is completed,” he mentioned.
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
Photograph by: JEP / Motorsport Photographs
Kubica remained with AF on the Bahrain Worldwide Circuit on the day after the WEC race for Phil Hanson’s first check within the Ferrari he will race in the WEC next year.
The Briton, who’s swapping over from the British Jota buyer Porsche crew when it becomes Cadillac’s factory 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 selection”.
Shwartzman, who has been a Ferrari Formulation 1 reserve since 2023 after graduating from the Italian producer’s academy programme, shall be introduced because the team-mate of the already confirmed Callum Ilott at Prema’s new IndyCar crew imminently.
Ye, who grew to become a manufacturing unit Ferrari driver for this season, is anticipated to stay within the line-up of the #83 automobile.