Kubica Stands Down from ByKolles Drive

Photo: Vision Sport Agency

Robert Kubica has stood down from his planned full-season drive in the FIA World Endurance Championship with ByKolles Racing, the Pole announced on Tuesday.

Kubica, who was due to share the wheel of the German squad’s ENSO CLM P1/01 NISMO with Oliver Webb, had yet to turn laps in the revised LMP1 Privateer entry after it sustained various issues at the Prologue in Monza earlier this month.

The team packed up early on Sunday following a rear wing failure. Prior to that, the car completed only six laps, with Webb at the wheel.

“After the Prologue, I have decided to interrupt my racing program with the ByKolles team in LMP1,” Kubica said in a statement on his Facebook page. “Therefore, I will not take part in the upcoming WEC Silverstone opening round and in the other WEC races.

“It has been a hard decision to step down and so lose the opportunity to join such a challenging and competitive championship but I hope this will not be a definitive goodbye.”

The Formula One race winner made headlines late last year when he tested the team’s then AER-powered LMP1 car in the Bahrain Rookie Test.

ByKolles has yet to confirm its revised lineup for this weekend’s season-opening Six Hours of Silverstone, which as of now, currently only has Webb listed in the LMP1 Privateer entry.

Former Rebellion Racing driver Dominik Kraihamer, as well as Pastor Maldonado were also on hand with the team at Monza but have not yet firmed up possible plans.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John