A return to Brazil for Robert Kubica?
Scarcely had he begun the long rehabilitation process awaiting him when Robert Kubica's entourage saw him returning by the end of the 2011 championship.
Injured in February during his accident at the Ronde di Andora rally in Italy, the Polish driver could make his return behind the wheel of a Renault at the end of the season, according to his agent Daniele Morelli.
« His recovery is progressing positively. His right leg is doing well, and if that had been the only issue, Robert would already be almost ready. But now, it’s the right hand that’s concerning us. For a return to the Grand Prix, we can imagine the Italian one in September, but that’s in just three months. It’s therefore more reasonable to aim for the last race of the season. In any case, when Robert gets back into the simulator, he will immediately know if he can return, when and how, without needing a stopwatch » said the Swiss to the Italian daily, La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The final race of the season will take place on November 27 in Brazil, at the Interlagos circuit, whose safety is not necessarily its strong point. The question arises whether a return for just one race is not both a risk for Robert Kubica and a luxury that the Renault team could do without, especially if they gain certainty that the Pole will be able to hold his place and perform well in 2012.
Several times, Eric Boullier, the team director, has shown restraint following various announcements concerning his number 1 driver, both for the end of the 2011 season and for 2012. With the rehabilitation phase having started very recently, it is currently impossible to know if Kubica will be able to regain his sensations, especially since he nearly lost his right hand. This uncertainty forces the French team boss not to ignore the potential options available to him by 2012, given that only Vitaly Petrov is guaranteed to drive for “Lotus Renault GP” next season, and Nick Heidfeld seems to be under scrutiny.
« Robert is the key to all this. We are, of course, 100% behind him, and I have tried to set everything up for his rehabilitation so that he can make a decision under the best conditions. We are now discussing with his manager how to proceed. Not everyone has the same concerns, but I would like to wait to know Robert’s decision, whether he can return or not, before seeing if we need to move to another plan. I was told that his full rehabilitation would start in August, which is late. We will have a decision to make at that time » explained Boullier.
Regarding Robert Kubica’s rehabilitation, La Gazzetta dello Sport notes that he is working three days a week on the recovery of his arm with Dr. Mario Igor Rossello, director of the Regional Hand Surgery Center at San Paolo Hospital, who had already operated on the Renault driver after his accident. The Pole also spends one day a week at Formula Medicine in Viareggio with the Renault team’s doctor, Riccardo Ceccarelli, for his right leg.
