Current Robert Kubica

He's fast, Polish and a bloody brilliant racer. To me Kubica is a special talent and has been very unlucky to not find himself in a top team yet.

The thing i like about Kubica is that he's a trier and never gives in say if he was third and had a sniff of second he'd go and chase the second place man down. He's a much toned down version of Lewis Hamilton IMHO he's great at overtaking (Austrailla 2009) exception and if he was in a better car i think he'd a won more races than the current 1 he stands at.

Kubica made his F1 debut at the Hungrian GP in 2006 replacing the injuried Jacque Villeneuve for BMW Sauber. He'd outqualified teammate Nick Heidfeld at the time and finished the race in 7th place only to be DSQ for been under weight. Since Kubica's first and only Pole Position came at the 2008 Bahrain GP, that same season he'd broke his winning duck and won his current and only race in Canada. Kubica has stood on the podium 12 times and in his 76 race he's scored a total of 273 points.

Sad news broke eariler in the year (2011) that Kubica had been involved in a Rally competition and crashed, his life was said to be in the balance, but he's slowly recovering from nasty injuries he substaned in the accident. It remains to be seen whether Kubica will return to motor-racing. But for me Kubica is a talented driver and if we do see him back on the grid i'd be over the moon.

Whether you like him or not Kubica is a cool guy and one that i'd like to see become Champion if he return's to the sport.

How do you rate Kubica?

 

[Bill Boddy]

They also say third time lucky. So maybe he will race again in the future, it seems unlikely though.

 

[RasputinLives]

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/kubica-and-ferrari/

Joe Saward suggest in his usually very reliable blog that Lotus Renault will let Kubica's contract lapse in December and that Robert may spend the year getting back up to speed as an F1 driver with Ferrari in a view to replacing Massa in 2013. Apparently Robert has always had a contract in place with Ferrari for this to happen that was being renewed on a yearly basis - although Ferrari let is lapse in July if he was to prove himself the driver he was they'd still be very keen to take him. Interesting.

 

[sportsman]

http://www.lotusrenaultgp.com/7895-Robert-Kubica-to-miss-start-of.html Robert Kubica has today informed Lotus Renault GP that, despite having started an intensive training programme, it is still too early for him to commit to driving in the 2012 championship. Robert’s progress remains impressive – he can now walk freely, and move his hand and elbow -, but he feels that he needs more time to return to full fitness.

Lotus Renault GP remains committed to helping Robert as much as possible in his recovery process. A test car is ready and waiting for him, and a dedicated crew is on stand-by. Of course, Robert will remain a member of the LRGP family in 2012 and he is already, through his management, holding talks about renewing his contract for the following season.

 

[Greenlantern101]

Its good he has made a decision now. By the sound of it, it was the only realistic way forward. Another full year to get up to speed and hopefully we will see him back in a F1 car. It may not be a Lotus, some talk of it being Ferrari if Massa fails to deliver next year.

 

[RasputinLives]

Poor old Robert

Yeah Ferrari have said they'll supply him with as much testing time as he needs to get himself back up to speed with the possibility of a race seat in 2013 apparently.

Lets hope he does recover. If I was him I'd aim to compete in a couple fo GP2 races or something later in the year just to see if he can compete still

 

[Porceliamone]

No shock there then... I still don't believe he'll be competitive in F1 ever again, let alone get a top drive. I do however hope that I'm wrong.

 

[Mezzer]

No shock there then... I still don't believe he'll be competitive in F1 ever again, let alone get a top drive. I do however hope that I'm wrong.

Couldn't agree more. I think we'll see him again in Touring Car or something like that, but F1? I don't think so. As you say, I hope that I'm wrong, I just don't think that I am.

 

[RasputinLives]

oh dear

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96418

looks like he didn't say that at all according to his manager. Can anyone smell Lotus looking for a reason to not bring Robert back so they can keep their drivers with sponsor money? I'm afraid I do!

 

[sportsman]

And on the other hand his manager said this. I still remain very sceptical of any of this as in my eyes Kubica has be noticeably secretive about his true condition.Has anyone seen any televion prorammes that show him walking or indeed doing anything remotely connected with driving.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96418 Robert Kubica's manager has denied the Pole will not be ready to race at the start of the 2012 season, claiming he is hoping the driver can start the season.
On Wednesday Renault issued a statement in which it said Kubica will miss the start of next year's season as he will not be ready following his dramatic accident in a rally car earlier this year.
"Even if I've been working very, very hard over the course of the last few weeks, I came to the conclusion that I am not yet certain to be ready for the 2012 season. I have called the team and I have informed them of the situation," Kubica said in the Renault statement.
On Thursday, however, his manager Daniele Morelli said it is not true Kubica has ruled out being back for the start of the season, instead claiming he only said he is uncertain he can be ready for the first pre-season tests.

 

[f1fansp]

oh dear

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96418

looks like he didn't say that at all according to his manager. Can anyone smell Lotus looking for a reason to not bring Robert back so they can keep their drivers with sponsor money? I'm afraid I do!

I have to say I read it in entirely the opposite way. Don't know how much support Renault have given, but they do seem to have waited until now before talking about alternatives. I think thats very reasonable given we're very late in the season, at the end in fact.

Morelli's comments seem optimistic and very non-specific.
"We count on and hope to be ready, but in any case the delay will be a few months, 2013 was never mentioned."
A delay of a few months is quite significant in F1 terms.

"The hand's sensitivity is OK, the only limit is strength: the forearm's muscles have been immobilized for a long time so there's a lot of work to do, but it's a matter of time, by the end of January the strength should be adequate."
Sounds like his arm is only just being mobilised
3 months to get back to full function seems optimistic at best, unrealistic in my opinion, but not a time frame anyone should be trying to fix after such an injury/recovery.

 

[Greenlantern101]

Good grief. What is going on. You have to wonder if this is all made up by journalists desperate for a story.

I have no idea what to believe.

 

[RasputinLives]

I have to say I read it in entirely the opposite way. Don't know how much support Renault have given, but they do seem to have waited until now before talking about alternatives. I think thats very reasonable given we're very late in the season, at the end in fact.

Morelli's comments seem optimistic and very non-specific.
"We count on and hope to be ready, but in any case the delay will be a few months, 2013 was never mentioned."
A delay of a few months is quite significant in F1 terms.

"The hand's sensitivity is OK, the only limit is strength: the forearm's muscles have been immobilized for a long time so there's a lot of work to do, but it's a matter of time, by the end of January the strength should be adequate."
Sounds like his arm is only just being mobilised
3 months to get back to full function seems optimistic at best, unrealistic in my opinion, but not a time frame anyone should be trying to fix after such an injury/recovery.

It was this bit

"I don't understand why Renault has changed Robert's words," Morelli was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport. "It's not true he won't be ready for 2012: he stated he doesn't have certainty that he will be in shape for the first tests in February."

and this bit

Morelli also said Kubica's current contract expires at the end of this year and not at the end of 2012 as claimed by Renault, which said it was in talks with Kubica's management over the possibility of extending it until 2013.

That made me jumped to that conclusion - as Morelli has said they seem to have adjusted Robert's quote to fit their needs. Ok I understand Lotus hearing that he won't be ready in time for tests and making the decision not to go with him but thats not what they published on the website. They made it look like it was Kubica's decision when in fact it was theres. I think thats just a little bit crafty especially as they've clearly been making plans for months for him not to be there. I think the company is scared of the image dropping a driver with a serious injury will create for them and have already (rightly or wrongly) made the decision they need to back someone else next year - what they appear to be trying to do is to try and make it look to the public that the decision was made by the driver thus avoiding the flack they might get from it.

Its called PR. Personally I'd respect them much more if they just came out and said that whilst they were sorry about the situation they as a team just couldn't take the risk on Kubica in the current circumstances.

 

[sportsman]

Hmm odd.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8796972.stm
Robert Kubica has ended speculation about his future by signing a contract extension that is set to keep him with Renault until the end of 2012.
The 25-year-old has been in fine form this season and is currently lying sixth in the championship standings after securing two podium finishes.

 

[RasputinLives]

Yes I thought it odd too but not sure why Kubica's management would lie about it - plus have heard in other places his contract with Renault would run out in December this year.

Maybe it was one year with an option?

Have to say Bruno Senna stating the Kubica out come makes no difference to his place in the team......

http://en.espnf1.com/renault/motorsport/story/65062.html

......makes me think the decision had been made a while ago and Senna was always aware it was Petrov and Grosjean he was in competition with.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Hmm odd.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8796972.stm
Robert Kubica has ended speculation about his future by signing a contract extension that is set to keep him with Renault until the end of 2012.
The 25-year-old has been in fine form this season and is currently lying sixth in the championship standings after securing two podium finishes.

One thing that we do not know is what is in the contract. They are usually quite large documents covering everything that the driver, the team and the solicitors can think of. There may be something relevant that they have not told us.

 

[sportsman]

One thing that we do not know is what is in the contract. They are usually quite large documents covering everything that the driver, the team and the solicitors can think of. There may be something relevant that they have not told us.

Very very true.My daughter is a contracts lawyer for an F1 team and drivers contracts cover everything from ingrowing toenails to a boil on the backside preventing them from driving.

 

[RasputinLives]

Very very true.My daughter is a contracts lawyer for an F1 team and drivers contracts cover everything from ingrowing toenails to a boil on the backside preventing them from driving.

Now that sounds interesting - how about writing an article on drivers contracts Sportsman?

 

[sportsman]

Now that sounds interesting - how about writing an article on drivers contracts Sportsman?

I couldn't do that.My daughter can only give few details as she is bound by confidentiality agreements.Apart from the generalities listed I don't have any inside information at all.

 

[sportsman]

This gets dafter by the minute.And contrary to the BBC link I posted Kubica does not have a contract for 2012

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96436
Boullier does not understand why Morelli has adopted such a stance though, because he insists that the press release his team issued earlier this week was approved by Kubica's manager.
"We agreed, because obviously Robert couldn't start the season next year with us, or anybody actually, with Daniele Morelli to make a communication," said Boullier at Interlagos. "So at least we could inform people about what is going on.

 

[RasputinLives]

I couldn't do that.My daughter can only give few details as she is bound by confidentiality agreements.Apart from the generalities listed I don't have any inside information at all.

Oh well. I guess I'll never know what the procedure is if Sergio Perez gets piles and can't drive in a race.