Kubica wrong to do rallying, says Massa

Felipe Massa has said he thinks former F1 driver Robert Kubica is making a mistake by competing in the World Rally Championship and that the Pole is 'risking himself' by being there.

Kubica was tipped as a future F1 World Champion until his accident prior to the start of the 2011 Formula 1 World Championship, which came close to costing him his right hand and also possibly his life. Since then Kubica has forged a new career in rallying and took the WRC2 title last season in a specially-adapted Citroen DS3. This year he has stepped up to a full-blown WRC car, but while he has shown good speed, he has had a number of crashes, although most recently he was sixth on Rally Argentina after taking a new approach.

Massa, however, doesn't believe rallying is right for the 2008 Canadian GP winner and reckons he would be better off doing another form of circuit racing, such as the DTM.

“He is an incredible driver – a really, really great talent," Massa told reporters, including Crash.net ahead of this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix, when asked about the Pole. “I have known him since he was a kid in Formula Renault. He is a great driver. But I don't think he is doing the right thing. I don't think rallying is the right thing for him.

"I haven't seen him since after his accident because he never appears [here]. He has disappeared from us [the F1 scene]. But I think he is risking himself in rally. It would be better for him to do the DTM or something else that is more part of his experience and part of his understanding. Rallying is very different for us [circuit racers].

"I know that he is suffering with his hand to drive Formula One [and can't do it because of that]. But maybe there are other championships he could do, especially as you always see that he is crashing in his races [in the WRC]. Honestly, if I was him, I would not be there."

Kubica had been linked with a move to Ferrari before his injury, and Massa believes he would have thrived had he ended up at the Scuderia.

“I think so. I think he had all the talent to drive for Ferrari and many big teams. Maybe it would have been possible to see him in the Ferrari. But things change. I hope just for the best for him. He is a very nice guy and [as I said] a great driver," Massa added. crash.net