Formula 1: Robert Kubica beat everybody in one category in 2021

With his two starts, Alfa Romeo replacement driver Robert Kubica beat everybody in one statistical category throughout the 2021 Formula 1 season.

Throughout the 22-race 2021 Formula 1 season, only two drivers missed any time as a result of testing positive for COVID-19, and only one of those drivers was actually replaced during his missed time.

Rookie Nikita Mazepin missed the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit in December, but it was announced that he had tested positive too late for Haas to replace him.

Before that, Kimi Raikkonen missed the Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort and the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, and Alfa Romeo replaced him with Robert Kubica for both of these September races.

Zandvoort is a 14-turn, 2.642-mile (4.252-kilometer) road course, and Monza is an 11-turn, 3.6-mile (5.794-kilometer) road course.

Kubica finished in 15th place, two laps off the lead lap, at the former after starting in 16th, and he finished in 14th, on the lead lap, at the latter after starting in 17th.

All in all, Kubica ran 123 laps as Raikkonen’s replacement. His average lap time was (1:22.3) — good enough for the best among all drivers to compete in the 2021 season.

As you’d expect, the top two drivers, aside from Kubica, were the two title contenders, Verstappen (1:25.7) and Hamilton (1:26.1). The two drivers at the bottom were, unsurprisingly, the two Haas drivers, rookies Mick Schumacher (1:28.6) and Mazepin (1:29.0).

Of course, it would be ridiculous to actually compare Kubica’s times to Verstappen’s and Hamilton’s, given the fact that he only competed in two races while Verstappen and Hamilton both competed in 20 more. Multiple other tracks on the schedule are longer and/or slower than the two where Kubica had the unexpected opportunity to compete.

But at the end of the day, congratulations to Robert Kubica on technically being the fastest driver of the 2021 Formula 1 season.