WRC '14 - Kubica continued [U]

With one day left at Rally Sardegna, the event has proved to be anything but predictable. Ogier's hegemony over the WRC took a knock in Argentina and Latvala's emergence as a real contender this year continued over the weekend.

Even Hirvonnen showed new speed and until the devastating fire destroyed his Fiesta RS WRC on a touring stage, Ford were justified in expecting much from the event. But with Mikko gone and Elfyn Evans still in apprentice mode, the M-Sport team's best chance was with the Kubica entry.

The Pole wasn't disappointing Wilson's enterprise either. Following the strategy he used with success in Argentina, Kubica began the stages proper driving within himself and in the process, showing with his split times that he was improving as he went - as you'd hope and expect.

More tellingly perhaps, was his consistency. That's more to do with avoiding mistakes than anything else, and Kubica found himself benefitting from the mistakes of others as he began to ascend the leader board. No rush of blood to the head, this - it was the studied execution of a very good plan to get the experience he so needs while earning championship points and cementing his reputation as a finisher, not just a speedster.

So it must have been a real disappointment to RK when on SS12, he cut a liittle too deeply on a narrow bend and broke his suspension on a rock concealed in the scrub. With no choice other than retirement, the hopes of a just reward for his new tactics have all but vanished.

M-Sport have confirmed Kubica's restart in Rally 2 for the final 50-some kms of the event's last day. With the retirement penalty of 10 minutes and his early road position, there's not much chance of the Pole garnering any WRC points - barring of course the competitors in higher positions having catastrophic events of their own - but he is earning respect for his commitment to recreating himself as a real rally driver, not an F1 refugee trading on his name.

It's a pity that his only real incident to that point in the rally resulted in such as massive setback. Just really shitty luck while trying to do the right thing. If he can put that behind him and continue his metamorphosis into gifted world rally driver, there's much still to play for.

I'll be watching his final day's progress with interest.

[Update]

With the help of various misfortunes striking his rivals, Kubica did manage to score some points despite his incident. The Pole finished 8th and earned 4 championship points for himself and M-Sport salvaged something other than Evans's performance from the event.

So a deserved reward for RK who did about everything right and arguably should have had a couple more points in the bag, but that's rallying.

Now onto his home event next, and the promise of an even better result.