Third the new aim for Kubica

Robert Kubica said that securing third position in the world championship was his new target for the last race of the season after his slim championship hopes were ended by Lewis Hamilton's race win in China. The Pole could only finish sixth in yesterday's race in Shangai and he is now 19 points adrift of Hamilton with only 10 to race for. He leads fourth-placed Kimi Raikkonen by six points. Kubica said: There is now one race left, and I shall try hard to defend my third place in the drivers' championship."

Of his race performance he added: "After a very difficult qualifying I'm pleased with sixth. The balance of the car was still not good in the first two stints, and it only changed in the final stint after we changed to the softer compound." He finished behind teammate Nick Heidfeld, who drove an impressive race to take fifth place despite a clash with the Toro Rosso of Sebastian Vettel. Heidfeld said: "Im quite happy with today's race. At the start I gained positions and in corner two I overtook Sebastian Vettel on the outside. He touched the rear of my car, but he has already told me it wasn't on purpose."

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