At 32-years-old, it seemed as though Robert Kubica’s Formula 1 career was over long ago but according to the Polish driver, he has a very good chance of returning to the sport.
Kubica recently had the chance to test a Formula 1 car for the first time in six years and at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, he told Speedcafe that re-adjusting to the Renault E20 was much easier than expected and that he may still have a future in F1.
“My confidence issues were gone in three laps, so I could get back into the rhythm. I was shocked how fast the adaptation was, or at least there was not really adaptation [to do] for me,” he said.
The Polish driver made his Formula 1 debut in 2006 and raced through to the end of 2010 when his career was put on hold in early 2011 following a near-fatal rally crash where he severely injured his right arm. Prior to the crash, he was considered as one of the most consistent drivers in the sport and many thought he had a long and successful career ahead of him.
In order to test Renault’s E20 F1 car, the team had to modify the cockpit and steering wheel so Kubica can control most of the vehicle’s operations with his left hand. Despite the adjustments needed, Kubica is confident he will return to the F1 grid, saying there’s an 80 to 90 per cent chance of him returning.
“If you asked me how much I was realistically thinking that coming back to F1 was possible (before the test), I would have put myself up to 10 percent or maximum 20 percent chance. Because the clock is running – not just the classification, but also ([I am) getting older. F1 is going so fast that some people forget – not everyone, but some.
“Because I’m very realistic, and I’m keeping my feet on the ground, I’d put it at 80 or 90 percent (now),” he said optimistically.
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