When did BMW build their first motor vehicle? Who played ‘The Dude’ in cult bowling film ‘The Big Lebowski’? Who are the three most famous Poles of all time? And how long did it take snooker’s Ronnie O’Sullivan to complete a 147 maximum break? These are just some of the questions we thought BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica would take in his stride after he agreed to be the latest participant in our trivia-testing ‘Ask the Expert’ series. But how did he fare? Find out here…
Q: Approximately how many Polish people watch you race every week?
Robert Kubica: More than three million? That would be my guess, but I haven’t looked at the figures lately.
A modest answer, but sadly incorrect - the real number is up to four million people, more than 10 percent of the population.
Q: Polish television sports reporter Tomasz Lorek placed you fourth in a list of most famous Poles of all time. Who was ahead of you in the ranking?
RK: Sure the Pope and Lech Walesa - and, as that particular reporter loves speedway, it’s surely somebody from there.
Two out of three ain’t bad - the reporter actually said: ‘I would estimate that he is the fourth most famous Pole of all time in terms of worldwide fame, behind the last Pope, Lech Walesa, and maybe the chemist lady, Marie Sklodowska [better known to the non-Polish world as Marie Curie]’.
Q: For how many years has your boss Dr Mario Theissen worked for BMW?
RK: It must be a long time. How old is he now? 56. If he started when he was around 25 that should make it 31 years.
Close enough for half a mark - the actual answer is 32.
Q: In poker, what does the term ‘ducks’ stand for?
RK: A pair of twos! That’s an easy one.
Correct
Q: You’re a fan of bowling, but which pin is commonly known as the kingpin?
RK: The central pin. Another easy one!
Correct
Q: How many pairs of sunglasses does your team mate Nick Heidfeld own?
RK: Oh! Only last weekend he had seven different pairs. Must be around 30, for sure.
Correct - Kubica clearly knows his team mate well, 30 is indeed the correct answer after we questioned Heidfeld
Q: If you search your name on Google, can you guess how many results it brings up?
RK: I’ve no clue!
Incorrect - modesty won’t get you anywhere in this game - last time we checked the answer was 2,780,000.
Q: In 2005 you won the Renault World Series, how many victories did you score that season?
RK: Four.
Correct
Q: When, where and in what series did you win your first single-seater victory?
RK: Formula Renault 2002 in Vallelunga in April.
Correct
Q: How much does an official Robert Kubica cap cost on BMW Sauber’s website?
RK: Too expensive! 20 Euro?
Incorrect the price is actually 25 Euro
Q: What are Nick Heidfeld’s two children called?
RK: Juni and Joda
Correct
Q: You are a big fan of world rally champion Sebastien Loeb. But who is his long-time co-driver?
RK: A Monegasque. Daniel Elena
Correct
Q: Christian Klien is sitting on the bench again this year as BMW Sauber’s third driver, but how many Grands Prix has he started during his Formula One career?
RK: Christian? Something around 48?
Very close, so half marks - it’s actually 46
Q: Although BMW originally developed aircraft engines, when did the company build its first motor vehicle?
RK: Around 80 years ago?
Again, close enough for half marks - they built their first motorbike in 1923, but became an automobile manufacturer in 1928.
Q: BMW boasts a striking headquarters in Munich, what is the design of the building meant to represent?
RK: Engine cylinders
Correct - four of them in fact.
Q: You are a fan of snooker’s Ronnie ‘Rocket’ O’Sullivan, who holds the record for the fastest 147 maximum break. How long did it take him?
RK: That is easy - 5 minutes 20 seconds.
Correct - O’Sullivan’s achievement took place in the first round of the 1997 World Championship.
Q: Coming back to bowling, in the classic bowling movie ‘The Big Lebowski’, who plays Jeff Lebowski, more commonly known as ‘The Dude’?
RK: I don’t know.
Incorrect - it was Jeff Bridges.
Q: You still love karting, and you lived in Italy for quite a while. Which Italian is the current world karting champion?
RK: Marco Ardigo
Correct - he won the title in 2007 and 2008.
Q: Staying on an Italian theme, what is BMW’s connection to the recent remake of the classic car film ‘The Italian Job’?
RK: Can you repeat that? No idea.
Incorrect - it featured three new Minis as the getaway cars and the Mini is made by BMW.
Q: Your race debut came in Hungary 2006 after Jacques Villeneuve left the team. Where did Villeneuve finish on his race debut in Australia 1996?
RK: I know this one - it was not bad. He nearly won! Second
Correct - he finished second, having started from pole for Williams.
Final score: 17.5 points from a possible 25
Ask the Expert rating: 70%
Current leader board:
1. Robert Kubica - 70%
1. Sebastian Vettel - 64%
2. Nick Heidfeld - 57%
More drivers coming soon.
(From Website : http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/4/9166.html)
15 years ago
