Robert Kubica looks unlikely to return to F1 anytime soon, if reports he is unable to even pick up a glass to drink with his right hand are correct.
Kubica's recovery suffered a blow back in January, when he slipped on ice at his home, re-breaking his leg. The Pole, who has had to have five bouts of surgery to correct damage to his right arm, leg and hand following his life-threatening rally crash over a year ago, was linked to a role with
Ferrari not so long ago [see separate story -
here]. That though, now looks overly optimistic, assuming information relayed by new
BBC Radio 5 Live F1 pundit Jaime Alguersuari, is correct.
“I think Robert is and was a fantastic driver, fast and complete. I am sure that if he had been with a top team he would have been World Champion, without a doubt,” Alguersuari said during the
BBC's official F1 2012 presentation this week.
“But at the moment the latest information I have about him is not very good. He cannot drink using his hand - I mean, he cannot take a glass and drink, so it doesn't look very good. I think his injuries are more than expected.
“Of course, I would like him to come back, because he really deserves to be in F1, absolutely.”
Alguersuari's information is in stark contrast to that reported and credited to one of Kubica's friends earlier this week.
Indeed during the final pre-season test at the Circuit de Catalunya, one of Kubica's friends, who did not want to be identified, told the
BBC that the former
BMW Sauber and
Renault man was 'close to leading a normal life again'.
“He drives his road car and goes out by himself,” the friend said. “He is still building up the strength in his right arm.
"It will be June or July before it can be determined if he is fit enough to test a F1 car.”