▁Russia , ▁when ▁Williams ▁decided ▁to ▁ret ire ▁his ▁car ▁to ▁con serve ▁parts ▁after ▁team mate ▁Russell ' s ▁race ▁ended ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁wheel ▁nut ▁issue . ▁Williams ▁were ▁critic ised ▁for ▁the ▁decision , ▁particularly ▁by ▁Kub ica ' s ▁personal ▁spons ors ▁PK N ▁Or len . ▁At ▁the ▁following ▁race ▁in ▁Japan , ▁Kub ica ▁critic ised ▁the ▁team ' s ▁decision ▁to ▁remove ▁an ▁upgrad ed ▁front ▁wing ▁from ▁his ▁car ▁for ▁the ▁race , ▁after ▁he ▁had ▁tri alled ▁it ▁during ▁practice ▁sessions . ▁ ▁Kub ica ▁ended ▁a ▁difficult ▁season ▁in ▁ 1 9 th ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁championship ▁with ▁ 1 ▁point , ▁finishing ▁ahead ▁of ▁ro ok ie ▁team mate ▁Russell ▁in ▁the ▁stand ings . ▁He ▁will ▁be ▁replaced ▁at ▁the ▁team ▁in ▁ 2 0 2 0 ▁by ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁Formula ▁ 2 ▁runner - up ▁Nicholas ▁Lat ifi . ▁ ▁Al fa ▁Rome o ▁Racing ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 2 0 2 0 ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁Kub ica ▁would ▁join ▁Al fa ▁Rome o ▁Racing ▁in ▁a ▁reserve ▁driver ▁role ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 2 0 ▁season , ▁returning ▁to ▁the ▁team ▁he ▁made ▁his ▁Formula ▁One ▁debut ▁with ▁in ▁ ▁( when ▁it ▁was ▁still ▁known ▁as ▁B MW ▁Sa uber ). ▁He ▁competed ▁at ▁the ▁pre - season ▁test ▁at ▁the ▁Circ uit ▁de ▁Barcelona - C atal unya ▁and ▁set ▁the ▁fast est ▁la pt ime ▁during ▁the ▁fourth ▁day