Kubica thinking of F1 return after DTM test

2013 F1 season

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Robert Kubica admitted his DTM test for Mercedes this week has inspired thoughts of driving an F1 car again.

Speaking after driving Mercedes’ C-Class DTM car at Valencia yesterday Kubica said: “Two years ago – nearly two years ago – I was here with F1. Today here I am with DTM.

“Of course I would prefer to be here in an F1 car but you have to do small steps, step by step, and maybe one day I will get the chance to drive again an F1 car here in Valencia or in general.”

Kubica said he’s “feeling much better than last two years” as he continued to recover from his February 2011 rally crash which nearly cost him his right arm.

“I have some limitations but I have driven different cars and practically if I have enough room in the car – and in the DTM car I have – there is no big limitation for my arm, for myself.

“Of course the more I drive, the more often I drive, the better I feel and things are getting better and this is something which is very good because it’s always good to see your body improving step by step every test, every day which I spend on the track.”

He said recently he would consider a return to Formula One even if his arm does not heal fully.

Kubica added he “needs to decide pretty soon” if he’s going to compete in the DTM this year, adding he has other options for this season.

“It depends from different factors and different things,” he said. “But the most important one is the pace and I think the performance of myself is good. That’s the most important and then we’ll see.”

If Kubica does race in the DTM this year he will join fellow former F1 driver Timo Glock, who has signed to race for BMW.

See pictures of Kubica’s DTM test here:

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Image © Daimler/Hoch Zwei

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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27 comments on “Kubica thinking of F1 return after DTM test”

  1. Gad, I cryied. He wiill never race again in F1. Love U Robert!

    1. I don’t know, I mean the history of sport is full of stories of people who came back from near death situations to compete in the sport they loved. Even in F1 we have had stories of people making it back after suffering horrendous injuries. Who knows, the strength of the human will is much more than one can gauge. I for one still hope he can make it back and would do so till he himself decides it cant be done.

      1. Drop Valencia!
        25th January 2013, 14:10

        Yeah, if Armstrong can come back from cancer…… wait a minuite, bad example…

      2. @mahavirshah Indeed. Niki Lauda, for example, came back a few races after that horrific crash at the Nürburgring and almost won that year’s championship.

        1. @pielighter Exactly. Im not willing to cast the first stone yet. If Kubica can make a return, it will be one of the biggest sporting triumphs I would have seen. Schumi has proven that age is no barrier if you are willing to try.

      3. @mahavirshah I do agree with you but unfortunately, this being F1, many factors are outside his control. Pay drivers may be his biggest obstacle as they will flood the market. His talent is good enough but I can’t for a moment see him bringing any money or even wanting to.

    2. I don’t know if he can come back or not, but I wouldn’t bet against him.

  2. Feel incredibly happy for Robert!! Almost three years ago I was in a motorcyle accident which nearly took my life, now i’m left with a wrist which has almost every bone dislocated (among my other horrific injuriies which I have fully recovered from). It means I can’t rotate my wrist/arm completely or bend it back very far. I though I would never get to ride again, but I’m glad to report I’m back on them again and my body can compensate/adjust to ensure I cope.

    What I’m trying to say is there is hope for Robert and I’m sure he’ll return to F1. He seems very upbeat which I was after my first ride so that can only be a good sign!!

    I don’t comment here a lot so sorry for the sob story, I’m just really happy for the guy!!

    1. That’s great you’re back riding. Nice one!

  3. Watching the 1st video its clear he still has a lot of immobility in his right arm & especially his hand (Which he doesn’t seem able to move at all).

    It would be great to see him recover enough to be able to come back to F1, Sadly I just can’t see it happening :(

    1. Yes, I’m surprised at how little use he has in that arm. I was under the impression that he had “limited” mobility but two years after the action it looks like he has almost no use of this right arm or hand. I think it’s considerably more likely that we’ll see Schumacher race in F1 again than Kubica.

      On a separate point entirely, I would have expected Kubica’s BMW association to have meant they were more likely to have run him a DTM test. I assume this is a sign that it isn’t just a publicity run and that Mercedes are seriously looking at him as a potential racer?

  4. Absolute hero.

  5. What happened to his commitment to contest the ERC this year?

    1. He is. In the article before this Keith mentioned that a few of the dates clashed with the DTM though, so. We’ll have to see what happens!

    2. I would say that is the other option under consideration @mazdachris

    3. Robert didn’t decide on anything yet! There is DTM and there is ERC with either Citroen or M-sport (Ford). He could easily start in WRC in DS3 (AFAIK an offer was on the table), but he would like to spend about 2 years learning – especially on gravel/mud/snow/ice – before entering WRC to fight for the title (nothing else would satisfy him). A few weeks ago Autosport published an article about Kubica’s commitment to ERC – based on “well placed source in the series” (or smthg like that) – and since then a few more articles (at least 2 in Autosport) were based on this one. Some people put him in WTCC (plus rally) with Citroen, some in ERC with M-sport, some in DTM. No one cited Robert anywhere, because he didn’t made any public statement yet. Wishful thinking of some teams (basically every team which spend some time with RK), series promoters and some fans. I’d say as of today DTM is the most probable option – with enough space to fit some rallies as well, but will he? Robert keeps wearing his poker face =]

  6. seeing his hand/arm outside of the car and seeing how unable it looks im surprised he can even drive a car, never mind a high perfomance DTM car…seems like it has a lot of healing to do yet but in the car he seems to drive just fine

    1. Seeing his immobility of the arm and his results on the track – I am impressed! This guy has incredibile tallent! Don’t know if such big as Senna, but for sure one of biggest guys in F1 history. Unfortunatelly he may finish his career as next great tallent without a chance to proof his greateness :(
      I keep my fingers for him and wish him back on the F1 track !
      Keep going this direction, Roberto !!

  7. Kimi and Robert…

  8. hamilton/kubica, toto can make it.

    1. Why would he do that? Why remove a proven race winner in Rosberg for someone who will have been out of the sport for 3 years with sever injuries?

      1. because Kubica is a real fighter and a real man. Who knows Rosberg? Kubica is an excellent trademark. To compare Nicko and Robert is like to compere pussycat and jaguar.

  9. Oh man, look at his arm, clearly he has so much immobility =( Robert is such an optimist. I can’t believe he speaks about going to F1 having such an injured arm. I really hope he gets a chance in the future because he was great, but I don’t think so. This breaks my heart so much, he looks just so convienced he can.

    1. No, not convinced, but he is optimistic seeing results of his rally and circuit “rehabilitation”. He’s not a dreamer type. His arm (elbow) mobility was much better before certain surgical corrections (that’s why there was such a big optimism in his camp, not long after accident), but he can “hold” things with his right hand and he can drive rally car steering only with his right hand. Nerves will take some more time to grow, and unblocking elbow would be a huge thing, but he doesn’t need full functionality to drive F1 – what’s most important is in his mind. Let’s wait and see.

  10. This might be a bit naive of me – but I would have thought DTM would require more of his arm than F1 – certainly in terms of strength! Perhaps it’s more to do with the reflexes, and even health and safety (getting out of the car in the event of an accident, for example)- not to forget the handywork he’s got to carry out on the wheel, as it looks like his fingers he can’t move very well either. But I certainly have mine crossed!

    1. @electrolite – Of course F1 has more g-loads and that may be a factor but I think it’s more to do with tey space. F1 cockpits are notoriously cramped and so it may prove difficult for Kubica but DTM cars have bigger cockpits, so that is the main reason why he can drive one without too much hassle.

      I too hope he can make a full recovery though and I would love to see him back in F1; that would be a brilliant story of recovery!

  11. I’d love him to race in the DTM.

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