Prior to terrible injuries sustained in a rallying accident last
February, the sky was the limit for Robert Kubica. The Pole had
been impressing Formula One fans since his debut for BMW as a
mid-season replacement for former world champion Jacques Villenueve
in 2006 - and his stock had risen quickly, the twenty-two year old
taking a podium in just his third race. But it was 2008 when he was
really able to shine, taking his first (and so far only) win in
Canada, briefly leading the championship and staying in surprise
contention for the title until the penultimate round.
His hopes for that year were largely dashed by BMW's insistence
of focusing on the following season, much to Kubica's frustration.
More frustrating still, the strategy did not pay off. The German
manufacturer interpreted the new rules poorly, and for much of the
season the Polish star was stuck near the back of the grid. The
embarrassment was such that the marque's bosses in Munich chose to
end the team's involvement in Formula One at the end of the year.
Although Peter Sauber reluctantly retook the reigns in Hinwil, it
was time for Kubica to move on.
He found a place as team leader of the Genii-owned Renault team
and shouldered it well. The car was not particularly special, but
Robert dragged it into contention, taking fifteen points finishes
and three podiums, including a second place in Australia. A second
season at Renault was a formality, and there was much excitement
when the team unveiled a radical new design which it was hoped
would place the team at the forefront of the sport. Kubica tested
the new R31 in Valencia, setting the best time of the final day.
But just later, the Pole was competing in the Ronde di Andora - and
on the very first stage he lost control, hitting a guardrail which
dislodged and entered the car. He suffered partial amputation of
his arm, as well as multiple fractures which would see him absent
for the entirety of 2011.
It is a long and ongoing rehabilitation, but one which appears
to be going relatively smoothly. Until recently, Kubica appeared to
have the unquestioning support of Renault, who maintained that they
would organise a test whenever he felt fit to participate. However,
in the last few months, the relationship appears to have soured.
There were crossed wires over his ability to return in 2012,
reported contractual negotiations with other teams, and a series of
missed deadlines as a proposed programme in the simulator failed to
materialise. Eric Boullier admitted that the team's relationship
with their injured star was at "point zero".
And then Boullier signed Kimi Raikkonen. The former world
champion bounded back to Formula One with boyish enthusiasm, and in
the Finn, the newly rebadged Lotus team have found another team
leader. Petrov meanwhile has been ousted in favour of GP2 champion
Romain Grosjean, a personal favourite of Boullier's. With the
relationship between Lotus and Kubica frosty and two real stars now
onboard, how keen will the team be to welcome back their wounded
hero?
Kubica, although well regarded, faces a problem. Nobody knows if
he can come back - and if he does, how quick he will be on track.
He has to adapt to a whole new world: that of DRS and Pirelli
tyres. And this uncertainty makes contract negotiations very
difficult. Doors are closing fast, as teams rush to sign drivers
who may lack the raw pace but will at least be present in
Australia. The ugly truth is that it takes a brave team to hire a
man who so nearly lost an arm.
With the Lotus door apparently closing, there remains one
tantalising option - the heavily rumoured prospect of a Ferrari
test next February, with a view to Kubica replacing the
underperforming Massa for 2013. There is no shortage of prospective
candidates, but if Robert is somehow able to convince the
Scuderia's top brass that he's their man, then it would undoubtedly
prove to be the greatest victory of his career.