This, for Kubica, is the best. Within the Renault team he's allowed – encouraged – to be who he really is, a man totally besotted with racing and cars

Any pre-season doubts about Robert Kubica's 'fit' at Renault have already been cast asunder. Just ask the Pole's biggest fan – the team's engineering chief, Alan Permane.

"He's without doubt the hardest-working driver I've ever encountered," says Permane of Kubica. "He will be at the track until well after midnight, even if he's racing the next day. He wants to go through and understand everything. He's always making suggestions, always wanting to know what is happening. He's very demanding, always on your case. As an example, he drove that great race in Australia to finish second but afterwards he had a list as long as your arm of stuff that he wasn't happy with."

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