▁racing ▁seat ▁ ▁Before ▁the ▁final ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁season , ▁Williams ▁announced ▁that ▁Kub ica ▁would ▁race ▁full - time ▁for ▁the ▁team ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁partner ing ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁Formula ▁ 2 ▁champion ▁George ▁Russell . ▁Kub ica ▁chose ▁ 8 8 ▁as ▁his ▁driver ▁number , ▁previously ▁used ▁by ▁Rio ▁H ary anto ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁The ▁team ▁strugg led ▁during ▁the ▁season , ▁with ▁the ▁F W 4 2 ▁being ▁the ▁slow est ▁car ▁of ▁the ▁field . ▁Kub ica ▁finished ▁in ▁ 1 2 th ▁place ▁at ▁the ▁German ▁Grand ▁Prix , ▁however ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁ 1 0 th ▁following ▁pen alt ies ▁for ▁K imi ▁R ä ikk ön en ▁and ▁Antonio ▁Giov in az zi , ▁scoring ▁his ▁first ▁point ▁since ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁F 1 ▁and ▁breaking ▁the ▁record ▁of ▁the ▁longest ▁time ▁between ▁success ive ▁points ▁finish es . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 9 ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁before ▁the ▁Singapore ▁Grand ▁Prix , ▁Kub ica ▁announced ▁his ▁decision ▁to ▁end ▁his ▁st int ▁at ▁Williams ▁after ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁season . ▁Williams ▁released ▁a ▁statement ▁shortly ▁after , ▁stating ▁that ▁Kub ica ▁would ▁see ▁out ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁but ▁would ▁vac ate ▁his ▁driver ▁position ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 2 0 ▁season . ▁ ▁Kub ica ' s ▁first ▁ret irement ▁since ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁sport ▁came ▁in