Robert Kubica is in talks with Williams about taking a supporting role with the Formula 1 team in 2018, according to the latest reports from Motorsport.com. 

Russian driver Sergey Sirotkin is the favourite to get the race drive alongside Lance Stroll, having fended off competition from Kubica, Daniil Kvyat, Paul di Resta and Pascal Wehrlein at the end of 2017. Williams even tested the drivers on track in an effort to try and understand who would bring the best to the struggling team. 

Williams has insisted throughout the process that its decision on the driver to partner Stroll would be based purely on performance and Sirotkin is believed to have come out on top, although there have been criticisms about the pay driver money that a Stroll/Sirotkin partnership would be bringing to the team.

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Polish driver Kubica, who suffered a devastating injury to his hand in February 2011 while taking part in a rally in Italy, was purely focused on getting a race seat in F1 this season, but when it became clear that was unlikely to happen, he and his team have switched tack. Talks regarding alternative options began, with Kubica keen to be involved with Williams in some guise during the coming campaign. 

It is understood discussions are centred around a supporting role, helping improve car performance and development, with the potential for more time behind the wheel. Such a move would make sense for both sides, with Williams gaining an experienced driver to support what is likely to be an inexperienced line-up. Kubica will also get more time to prove he can compete at the highest level again.

Williams is refusing to comment on the make-up of its driver line-up for 2018 aside from emphasising that it plans to make an announcement in due course – it had better hurry, the season starts on 25 March.