Williams deputy Formula 1 chief Claire Williams has hit back at speculation suggesting Robert Kubica could be replaced midway through the 2019 season🐼, saying there is “no thought” of making a switch🐼.

Kubica returned to F1 this year after more than eight years out thro꧙ugh injury, but has languished at the back of the field amid Williams’ ongoin🍸g struggles.

Speculation emerged last week in the French ꦜmedia that Kubica could potentially be replaced midway through th♌e season, with Mercedes youngster Esteban Ocon being mooted as a possible replacement.

Speaking on Thursday at Silverstone, Williams was quick to dismiss the suggestions and stress there was no c💟onsideration of making any driver changes mid-seas൩on.

“I find speculation quite frustrating, because unless you actually know on the inside, you don’t know wh💦at’s going on,” Williams said.

“Our relationship with Robert is as strong as it was. He’sꩲ getting his head down and doing what he needs to do, and we’re trying to do everything that we can to give him a better car so that he can perform at the level th♛at he wants to.

“As far as I’m concerned, there are no frustrations, certainly from our side. I’m sure he has a level of frustration because he doeꦏsn’t have the equipment that he would like at the moment.

“We’re only halfway through the season, so it’s a little early for us to start thinking about 2020 and the driver line-up for next year. We ha🦩ve started to think about it, but we’re in no position to be making any final de💖cisions yet, and that probably won’t come until the third quarter of this year.

“There is no thought about replacing Rob🌞ert at all during the season. Absolut𒁏ely not.”

Kubica has failed to beat rookie teammate George Russell in qualifying this year, and has finished ahead just once in the race, coming at the Fre🎶nch Grand Prix when Russell was forced into an addit𝓰ional pit stop due to damage to his car.