> Kubica admits to underachievement

Robert Kubica has admitted that he has underperformed during the 2007 season and could have achieved more with the BMW-Sauber.

The Pole made a superb Formula 1 debut halfway through last year - reaching the podium after just three races and swiftly getting team-mate Nick Heidfeld on the ropes.

But Heidfeld bounced back this year and has led BMW's charge to second in the constructors' championship.

Kubica has been less comfortable with the F1.07 chassis and the Bridgestone tyres, and is currently 21 points adrift of Heidfeld, who has been the top BMW in qualifying at 10 out of 15 races.

When asked to summarise his feelings about 2007, Kubica said he was "pretty disappointed."

"We have good performance in our car but it looks like we struggled this season to extract 100 percent of it," he continued.

"On many occasions I think my performance was under the performance of the car and of the whole package."

He could have taken his first podium finish at Fuji last week had he not been penalised for colliding with Lewis Hamilton while charging through the field.

Kubica was still smarting about his punishment in today's press conference in China.

"I think this season we have had many contacts between the drivers and nothing happens," he said.

"In my view it was not okay because I had not hit him on purpose.

"I get a drivethrough and we lost less than six seconds and I didn't gain any position (in the crash).

"Unfortunately it destroyed my race.

"It was an FIA decision of the stewards and that's how it went.

"We had no time to ask for the decision to be changed.

"Normally if the accident happens the decision is taken after the race, for example with Nick and Ralf (Schumacher) in Nurburgring, but this time it was different."

Kubica eventually finished seventh at Fuji after a wild wheel-banging battle with Felipe Massa on the last lap.

The Pole felt both had channelled all their frustration into the dice after enduring difficult afternoons.

"It was pretty tough, it was on the limit of reasonable safety," Kubica admitted.

"I think Felipe was a bit upset after the race, I was also a bit upset by my race, so we just put all what we had into these five corners."

Source: itv-f1