Seven years after having seen his career in F1 stopped by a crash in rally that left him disabled, Robert Kubica to run third Williams test in Abu Dhabi, after a season of lobbying on and off circuits.
The Pole will take part in tests with the British team and the Pirelli tyres supplier in abu Dhabi on Tuesday and next Wednesday, which will be decisive for his future.
“My arm is not 100%, but I have more limitations in life than driving a Formula 1. Before my accident, F1 accounted for 90% of my life. When you lose it in a day, it’s not easy. It’s been very long years, with difficult times.” Kubica said.
This is the first time that he will drive a 2017 Williams, after two driving sessions, described as successful and productive, at the wheel of a 2014 car in October.
It will then remain to prove to the young thirty that he would make a better recruit than the other candidates, the British Paul di Resta, Williams reserve driver, the German Pascal Wehrlein, which should not be extended at Sauber, the Russians Daniil Kvyat, thanked by Red Bull, and Sergey Sirotkin, third Renault driver who will also be tested in Abu Dhabi.
“The test is aimed at evaluating 2018 candidate tyres on behalf of the F1 tyre supplier Pirelli. Williams are excited to have this opportunity to assess the new tyres across such an interesting array of drivers: Lance, as confirmed race driver for 2018, Robert with his huge experience, and Sergey as a very promising young talent in F1.” a Williams statement said.
“Robert has a talent apart. With Lewis [Hamilton], he’s the best driver we’ve seen in a twenty-year career.” Williams added.
Kubica’s life, which arrived in F1 in 2006, changed on February 6, 2011, at the Ronde di Andora Rally in Italy. Out of high-speed road, he lost control of his car and hit a security fence.
Robert Kubica crashes in rally practice. (Source:www.thetelegraph.co.uk)
His leg and his right arm in particular were damaged and his return to F1 with Renault, become Lotus, delayed in the sandstone of surgical operations, appeared definitively compromised in 2012.
But the 32-year-old driver did not give up, he was driving once again in rally from July 2012. Announced in the World Championship with private team ByKolles Racing in 2017, however, he gave up after only a few laps of tests.
