Max Verstappen, the four-time Formula 1 world champion, said Robert Kubica proved himself to be a fantastic driver, praising the Polish driver's Le Mans 24 Hours victory during a media session in Madrid ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.
Kubica won the famous 24-hour endurance race last year, putting him back in the spotlight of motorsport fans around the world. This season he finished seventh at Le Mans and continues to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship's Hypercar class.
Journalist Cezary Gutowski asked Verstappen about Kubica's achievement during the media session in the Spanish capital, and the Dutch driver had nothing but praise for him.
Verstappen's tribute
Verstappen said it was something special, adding that Kubica proved he was, and still is, a fantastic driver. He said Kubica always had enormous talent, and that anyone in the paddock, or anyone who had raced against him before, would say he was destined to achieve even greater things in Formula 1.
Verstappen went on to reference the crash that ended Kubica's F1 career, the accident at the Ronde di Andora rally in February 2011. He said that winning at Le Mans was the dream of everyone in the sport, which was why it was very nice to see Kubica fulfil that dream.
From BMW Sauber to a landmark podium
Kubica arrived in Formula 1 in 2006 with the BMW Sauber team, where he took his first and only grand prix victory, at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix.
Yesterday, 10 September 2026, marked exactly 20 years since Kubica's first Formula 1 podium. He finished third at the Italian Grand Prix, which was won by Michael Schumacher. The German announced his retirement from the sport on the same day.
In a recent interview, Kubica said that as an experienced driver in Formula 1 he always had two goals: to become world champion, or at least to have the chance to fight for the title, and to become a Ferrari driver. He said he achieved neither, and that he had been on a good path to becoming a Ferrari driver before the accident stopped him.
Next up: the Spanish Grand Prix
Formula 1 moves on to the 14th round of this year's calendar this weekend. The Spanish Grand Prix starts at 15:00 on Sunday, 13 September, on the new Madring circuit in Madrid.
Italian driver Kimi Antonelli leads the drivers' championship for Mercedes, 66 points ahead of his teammate, Britain's George Russell. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton is third, 76 points behind the leader. Verstappen sits sixth, 140 points behind Antonelli.
