ROBERT KUBICA’S RETURN TO F1

WHERE: GROVE WHEN: NOVEMBER 22 Robert Kubica’s world came crashing down in February 2011 when he shunted his rally car. At the time, he was being feted as F1’s next big superstar, but his trajectory was brought to a halt against a barrier in Andorra in Italy which left him with severe forearm damage among a number of other very serious injuries.

The return was a long and painful one, but, after a stint in the World Rally Championship, the circuits were beckoning again. He sampled GTS and tested LMP1 and Formula E machinery.

Renault was the marque that gave him a breakthrough in 2017, when he got back behind the wheel of an F1 car and impressed with his immediate pace. Amid a swirl of rumours of a race drive, he ended up landing the role of test and development driver with Williams for 2018, tackling three sessions and completing mileage away from the race weekends.

The work that the onetime race winner put in with the backroom staff and his approach impressed many and he finally got the call in late November to become a full-time F1 driver again with Williams alongside young Brit George Russell. The resurrection is complete.