Kubica establishes kart team over winter break
After finishing fourth in last season’s championship, BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica would have been forgiven for enjoying a relaxing break ahead of his 2009 campaign. But instead of enjoying a well-deserved holiday, Kubica has used the offseason to put his expertise to good use and founded his own karting team.
"I've always enjoyed driving karts,” explained the 24 year-old to BMW Sauber's official website. “It was a great fun to compete in karting - lots of competition and not so much politics. And I wished to do something active in the world of kart racing, the discipline which allowed me to stand out and take the path leading to F1, and which I still love.”
Kubica has set up the squad in partnership with Birel, the company with which he scored fourth place in both the European and World Karting Championships in 2000, and recently tested the team’s new chassis after wrapping up his December work for BMW Sauber.
The Polish driver is also set to take on an active management role in the team, which is expected to take part in all major international events. Former world champions Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen also run their own outfits in karting and Formula Three respectively.
