Formula One news

Vettel clash cost Kubica win, says Theissen

Dr. Mario Thiessen believes that Robert Kubica could have gone on to win Sunday's Australian Grand Prix, had the Polish driver not been involved in a late race incident with the Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel. Kubica, on the harder Bridgestone tyres, made a late race charge to catch the German for second before a collision took place between the pair at Turn 3.

With damage sustained for both cars, the duo continued for just two more corners as they crashed individually at Turn 5, as a result of their contact. Theissen - who drafted Vettel into the BMW team for a race following Kubica's crash in Canada two years ago - was sure that an incident would not take place: "Sebastian braked early and I thought 'This is a clear-cut situation now, I know him, he won't do in anything silly.' But in a moment it had happened already."

"Both cars in front of Robert (Vettel and race leader Button) were lapping slower, on the super soft Bridgestone tyres. He was lapping about two seconds quicker and he probably lost a victory, Sebastian probably lost a podium position and both teams lost valuable points." BMW, pre-season favourites for many, gradually improved over the weekend in Austrlia, with strong lap times coming during the race. "The good thing is that the car was really quick," Theissen added. "Robert was putting in very quick laps on the hard tyres and that shows that we are on the pace, which is good for the coming races."

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