Robert Kubica Q&A: Fans’ response has been overwhelming

The Renault team - and Formula One in general - was dealt a heavy blow in February when star driver Robert Kubica was ruled out of the start of the 2011 season following a serious crash during the Ronde di Andora Rally in Italy. Several surgeries and over two months later, Kubica is finally looking forward to leaving hospital and briefly heading home, before commencing the rehabilitation programme which everyone hopes will precede his F1 return. Speaking to his team’s official website, the Pole had the following to say to his fans…

Robert Kubica: Hello everybody, here I am. Sorry for the delay in contacting you but I preferred to wait until the moment I could finally share some positive news with you. First of all I would like to pay a huge amount of thanks to my fans whose support has been simply incredible since my accident in Italy back in February. I have been literally submerged by letters and various gifts and objects and it seems the flow is not slowing down. I also want to thank all the people in the world of F1 who showed in various manners their concern for the difficult situation I’m in.

Q: Robert, just over 10 weeks on from your accident - how are you feeling? 
RK: I am starting to feel a lot better now. My recovery is moving in the right direction: my strength and weight are increasing day on day and as a result I will leave the Santa Corona hospital very soon.

Q: When exactly will you leave the hospital? 
RK: I don’t have a precise date as yet but I hope to be able to leave within the next 10 days.

Q: Concerning the injury to your hand, how is the mobility now? 
RK: The mobility of my hand is limited but this is pretty normal in this kind of situation, because the connected arm muscles are still very weak due to the long period of immobility. Things are definitely improving day by day.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your rehabilitation programme? 
RK: As soon as I leave hospital, I’ll head to my home in Monaco for a short period of rest. Then I’ll move to Dr Ceccarelli‘s facilities in Italy where I will start a deep rehabilitation program and a preliminary soft training programme. The two programmes will gradually cross over based on the speed of my recovery.

Q: There’s been an amazing reaction from the fans - how has the response helped your recovery? 
RK: I must admit that it’s been overwhelming and, yes, it’s helped me a lot. I really didn’t realise that quite this many fans were supporting me. I’m very flattered and I promise them that, when I’m back, I’ll give them my absolute best.

Q: Have you been staying in regular touch with the team since you’ve been away? 
RK: Yes, of course. Especially since the season started, I’ve been liaising with my engineers on what’s been going on over race weekends. They are sending me the race reports so I can remain up to date and fully informed, as if I were there at the tracks. (Team principal) Eric Boullier is also in constant contact, keeping up to date with my general condition.

Q: Have you watched all the races so far this year, and what are you making of the new season and Lotus Renault GP’s performances so far? 
RK: Yes I’ve watched them, and there is no doubt that it’s been a strong start to the season. The potential of the car, which I already noticed in the February Valencia test, seems to be confirmed. As usual, it’s now important that the development done in Enstone continues to produce consistent updates for maintaining this level of performance. The guys did a great job with this car and I’m sure they’ll continue to improve.

Q: Finally, what messages would you like to pass on to your supporters in the Formula One world? 
RK: Well, just continue to enjoy the F1 show even though I’m not there at the moment. From my side, I’ll try to use my difficult experience to come back as strong as I possibly can.

Source : Formula1.com

F1 : Lotus Renault GP 2011

F1 : Team Lotus 2011

Kubica starts rehabilitation programme

Renault’s Robert Kubica has been transferred from intensive care to the rehabilitation department of Italy’s Santa Corona Hospital as he continues to recover from the injuries he sustained in a rally accident earlier this month.

“He is doing pretty well and his condition is positive considering what he has been through,” the hospital’s Dr Rossello told Renault’s official website on Tuesday. “He can move his fingers slightly and has a little bit of sensitivity already in his hand. What is very important is that there is no sign of infection, which is the main concern. 

“He no longer needs intensive care so he has begun the rehabilitation process. He is now in his own large room so that he is as comfortable as possible. He has already started some gentle hand exercises with the slight flexing of his fingers. He’s no longer in pain and his psychological condition is pretty good. He’s obviously keen to start the rehabilitation work as soon as possible.”

The Polish driver is expected to stay in the hospital’s rehabilitation department for at least a fortnight.

“For the next couple of weeks, he will stay here so we can monitor his condition,” added Rossello. “During that time there is still the possibility of infection and other complications so he will have the dressings on his hand changed every few days. After two weeks we will assess his next move.”

With Kubica expected to miss much of the 2011 Formula One season, Nick Heidfeld, Kubica's former team mate at BMW Sauber, has taken over driving duties for Renault alongside Vitaly Petrov.

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Renault confirm Heidfeld as Kubica stand-in

Renault have announced that Nick Heidfeld has joined the team, taking over driving duties from the injured Robert Kubica, starting at this week’s test session in Barcelona. It follows his evaluation at Jerez last week.

The 33-year-old German is one of the most experienced drivers in Formula One, having started 172 races over the last 11 seasons. He will race alongside Vitaly Petrov when the new season gets underway in Bahrain on March 13.

“I would have liked to come back to Formula One in different circumstances, but I’m proud to have been given this chance,” said Heidfeld. “Everything has happened so quickly, but I’ve been very impressed by what I have seen so far in terms of the facilities and the dedication of the people at Enstone.

“I really enjoyed the test last week in Jerez and I’ve already settled in well with the guys at the track. I have a good feeling for the car, which is quite innovative. I’m extremely motivated and can’t wait for the season to begin.”

Renault team principal Eric Boullier commented: “The team has been through a very difficult couple of weeks and we had to react quickly. We gave Nick a chance in Jerez last week and he really impressed us. He’s quick, experienced and is very strong technically with his feedback and understanding of the car.

“We always said the priority was to have an experienced driver in the car and we feel he is the ideal man for the job. We are pleased to welcome Nick to the team and look forward to a strong start to the season with him and Vitaly in Bahrain.”

This week’s four-day test at Spain’s Circuit de Catalunya begins on Friday. Heidfeld will be at the wheel of Renault’s R31 on Saturday and Monday, with Petrov in the car on Friday and Sunday.


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p/s: welcome back Quick Nick!!

Positive outlook for recovering Kubica

Robert Kubica continues to make good progress following his rally accident, Renault reported on Monday. The outlook is positive as Kubica recuperates from his injuries in the intensive care unit of Italy’s Santa Corona Hospital.

After an initial operation when he was first admitted to reconstruct his right forearm, the Polish driver underwent a second bout of surgery on his foot, shoulder, humerus, and anterior elbow last Friday. A team of 15 doctors and nurses were involved in the four-stage procedure at the Pietra Ligure clinic. 

“Robert’s hand is in optimal condition and has not suffered any further trauma after such complex surgery,” explained the hospital’s Dr Rosello following the operation. “His hand remains well vascularised and warm.”

With Kubica's condition described as ‘good’, he is set to undergo a third - and final - procedure on Wednesday to fix the damage caused to the ‘posterior part’ of the elbow. 

Source here