Boullier ready to give Kubica more time
No one knows if Robert Kubica will be able to drive a Formula 1 car in a Grand Prix again. And while the Lotus Renault team was hoping for an update on the Pole's condition by the end of the month, Eric Boullier acknowledged that the Polish driver might have a bit more time to continue his recovery and prepare for a possible return in 2012.
After his terrible accident during a rally in February, Robert Kubica had to undergo numerous surgeries to repair his wrist, hand, and elbow in particular, as well as his overall mobility. But Eric Boullier, the director of the LRGP team, has set a deadline for the Polish driver – the end of October. The French manager does not want to wait too long to know his pair of drivers for the next season.
The Polish driver will therefore have to prove that he is capable of returning to his best or almost his best level in F1 by the end of the month, and given the lack of information on his rehabilitation, this seems difficult. Eric Boullier has hinted that he might give Kubica a bit more time to prove he is ready to return.
Maybe the decision will be made a little later than the end of October. If I can wait a little longer, maybe I should because he won’t be completely ready, and I want him to be in a proper situation to ensure he comes back, Eric Boullier told Autosport.
I spoke with Danielle Morelli (the Polish manager) and he is convinced that Robert will return, which I am delighted to hear. We will have to go through several processes so he is actually racing against time. If Robert can drive a Formula 1 car, I want him to be with us, so I have to give him a chance. It’s up to me to be flexible, added the Frenchman.
If Kubica cannot return to Formula 1, Eric Boullier has plenty of options to replace him – he could line up Bruno Senna alongside Vitaly Petrov, line up Romain Grosjean and Vitaly Petrov, or even Romain Grosjean and Bruno Senna.
