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[LewEngBridewell]

I personally don't think he'll ever race in F1 again,

Yeah, I think his time in F1 has been and gone tbh....

Sad, given the masses of potential he had shown. 1 win is little return for the speed that guy had. I still look on Singapore 2010 with glossy eyes (the time when he dragged that yellow Renault through the field at an astonishing rate).

[headless]

I think he was definitely a potential world champion. As much talent as many of the top guys now. But too long out of the sport, other young guns now and doesn't look too fit.

I hope he does prove me wrong.

[scotty]

Robert Kubica could be handed a route back to Formula 1 as Pirelli's test driver next year, the tyre company's motorsport director Paul Hembery has said.

Pirelli is set to require a replacement for Jaime Alguersuari, who looks poised to make a full-time return to F1 - potentially with Force India if one of its drivers leaves.

Although Kubica's hand is still some way off being recovered enough to allow him to drive an F1 car in anger, Hembery has admitted that once the Pole is ready then Pirelli would be more than willing to give him an opportunity.

A return to action with Pirelli would also make sense because the company is to keep the 2010 Renault test car it has used so far for another year. That is the same machine that Kubica raced two years ago.

Speaking about the possibility Hembery said: "We are more likely to work with Robert in rallying I guess, rather than F1, but we will see.

"I haven't spoken to Robert for some time and we are working on a few projects that might involve him, so it might well be a possibility.

"I don't know if he is able to do it at the moment. But he is that type of person if physically he could get back in, then maybe doing a year with us would put him in a good situation to come back in in 2014. It would be wonderful if we could do that.

"We want to continue our success level of helping drivers into F1. After an F1 drive, the Pirelli test deal has to be the best drive in the world."

Hembery says that with the 2014 technical regulations being so different, there is little point wasting time trying to secure a more up-to-date machine to replace the Renault.

"There is probably no point," he said. "If we are going to be testing next year for 2014, then that is a different challenge – and no car will be relevant for that. So we will probably see the Renault 2010 car just being heavily modified."

So routes are still open if that hand can just recover

[LRW]

Ferrari say its all over for Robert....

Robert Kubica will not return to Formula 1, says Ferrari team boss

Ferrari believe Polish driver Robert Kubica, 28, will never return to Formula 1 following the injuries he suffered in a rally crash in 2011.

The Italian team had been tracking his progress with the intention of hiring him should he make a full recovery.

Boss Stefano Domenicali said: "We were keeping an eye on him. Unfortunately I don't think he will be back.........contd/

[Jabberwocky]

He is about to be signed for a full wrc drive I believe. If he wins the wrc2 championship

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[LewEngBridewell]

Ferrari say its all over for Robert....

Robert Kubica will not return to Formula 1, says Ferrari team boss

Ferrari believe Polish driver Robert Kubica, 28, will never return to Formula 1 following the injuries he suffered in a rally crash in 2011.

The Italian team had been tracking his progress with the intention of hiring him should he make a full recovery.

Boss Stefano Domenicali said: "We were keeping an eye on him. Unfortunately I don't think he will be back.........contd/

To me, Ferrari are simply saying what (I think) is obvious.

[zurich_allan]

It's such a shame, he was such a talented F1 driver, and could have potentially done great things in the Lotus. Would have been really interesting to have seen him as a team mate to Alonso too. Still, F1's loss is rally driving's gain.

[sagi58]

...Boss Stefano Domenicali said: "We were keeping an eye on him. Unfortunately I don't think he will be back.........contd/

To me, Ferrari are simply saying what (I think) is obvious.

Please, correct me if I'm wrong; but, it would seem that the day of a driver making a miraculous recovery after a horrendous, life-threatening accident are long gone.

I don't think we can put it down "merely" to a different breed of man, so much as we have to take into consideration the difference in speed today's driver travels around the track. Sure, once upon a time, cars weren't as "safe" as they are today; but, then again, they are travelling at speeds that were probably once unimaginable!!

[Jabberwocky]

I think it is now more to do with that the cars are closer to the limit that the human body can take. So an impairment of the body will affect the package more.

From my understanding RK does not have full movement in rotating his forearm. Which in an f1 car is essential.

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[acosmichippo]

But it isn't for rallying? Admittedly, I haven't watched it, but I imagine those twisty roads require a lot of steering wheel turning and gear shifting.

[Jabberwocky]

It doed but he can move his arm to compensate. Where as an F1 car is too tightly packed.

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[sagi58]

I think it is now more to do with that the cars are closer to the limit that the human body can take. So an impairment of the body will affect the package more.

From my understanding RK does not have full movement in rotating his forearm. Which in an f1 car is essential.

Can't this also be applied to Massa? I mean, his accident was horrific! He almost lost an eye.
He almost lost his life! What if "physically" he healed; but, psychologically he hasn't?

I mean... how do you go back, after something like that?

((p.s. NOT being facetious in any way, shape or form!! ))

[Roth]

I think it is now more to do with that the cars are closer to the limit that the human body can take. So an impairment of the body will affect the package more.

From my understanding RK does not have full movement in rotating his forearm. Which in an f1 car is essential.

Can't this also be applied to Massa? I mean, his accident was horrific! He almost lost an eye.
He almost lost his life! What if "physically" he healed; but, psychologically he hasn't?

I mean... how do you go back, after something like that?

((p.s. NOT being facetious in any way, shape or form!! ))

He was certainly down a long time after coming back. Even now, he's more down than up.
He bitches about Ferrari but they really stuck by him when it would have been understandable if they'd replaced him.

[sagi58]

He was certainly down a long time after coming back. Even now, he's more down than up.
He bitches about Ferrari but they really stuck by him when it would have been understandable if they'd replaced him.

Completely agree with you!! Which is why it annoys me to no end that anyone makes it sound like Massa is being "forced" into playing second fiddle!!
Let's be honest, after that "almost" season, he hasn't ever really been a contender!! There are just too many exceptional drivers on the grid for him ever to be!!
I almost feel like I'm betraying Ferrari for saying that; but, the proof is in the pudding, isn't it??

[Roth]

He had a real purple patch after MS left, but when you're a confidence driver and things start going wrong... Still, I was surprised how good he was.

Losing '08 by a corner - that probably hurts more than any crash. The mental scars from that must still be healing.

Kubica was a real loss though. Up there with Hamilton and Alonso. Kubica and Alonso at Ferrari. Imagine that.