Kubica never to return to F1 (rumour)

[MrJan]

And apparently he had another crash in a rally... No injuries apparently...
Am I the only one who thinks this is quite stupid of him before he has fully recovered?

Hopefully you are. I understand completely his desire to get back behind the wheel, and he's certainly not alone in motorsport. The majority of motorcycle racers seem to have ridden in races with various broken bones, Colin McRae entered a rally with broken fingers/all bashed up facially...it's just a fact of motorsport, and an important one IMO.

[Malbec]

Hopefully you are. I understand completely his desire to get back behind the wheel, and he's certainly not alone in motorsport. The majority of motorcycle racers seem to have ridden in races with various broken bones, Colin McRae entered a rally with broken fingers/all bashed up facially...it's just a fact of motorsport, and an important one IMO.

The level of injury Kubica is still carrying is not on the same level as a broken finger, metatarsal or even malleolus that the bikers routinely race with.

Kubica already has a permanent loss of function to his entire right arm, he can't flex his elbow and he has limited movement of his fingers, his muscles on that side are completely wasted away and his joints and nerves are permanently damaged. Another big injury to that side and he faces not being able to use that arm at all.

While part of me cheers the fact that he's back behind the wheel of a car a large part of me does wonder why he's so willing to risk his recovery for what is still a hobby for him (rallying).

[AndyL]

The level of injury Kubica is still carrying is not on the same level as a broken finger, metatarsal or even malleolus that the bikers routinely race with.

Ian Hutchinson's leg injury is not so different to Kubica's arm. It was touch and go whether they would have to amputate the leg, and it took more than a year before he could race again (though after 9 months he did a parade lap round the TT course on a superbike, wearing leathers cut away to accommodate the external fixator that was still around his leg!). Then he re-broke it riding a dirt bike, endured further operations, but this year was back racing again.

Admittedly, a leg is not an arm. But we're not talking about a broken finger either either.

Thinking further back, Mick Doohan suffered an equally bad leg injury that would have led to amputation in normal circumstances - they had to temporarily graft it to his good leg to keep it alive - and returned within 2 months to try (unsuccessfully) to defend his championship lead, with the leg still visibly withered. And of course Barry Sheene had two horror crashes, about one of which he said "if I'd been a horse, they'd have shot me," and returned to racing in weeks or months both times.

[Malbec]

Ian Hutchinson's leg injury is not so different to Kubica's arm. It was touch and go whether they would have to amputate the leg, and it took more than a year before he could race again (though after 9 months he did a parade lap round the TT course on a superbike, wearing leathers cut away to accommodate the external fixator that was still around his leg!). Then he re-broke it riding a dirt bike, endured further operations, but this year was back racing again.

Admittedly, a leg is not an arm. But we're not talking about a broken finger either either.

There's a big difference. Ian Hutchinson's injury was much simpler from an orthopaedic point of view. Also importantly he retained knee/ankle function. Kubica has lost function in his elbow and wrist (there's a video of him walking around with it held at an awkward angle somewhere), he has damaged tendons and neurological injury.

The big problem here is his elbow in terms of accidents. Limbs dissipate a lot of energy through the joints flailing around in accidents. Since Robert's elbow is fixed the energy the elbow would normally dissipate is transferred fully to the joints above and below and the structures around the elbow such as his already damaged tendons. Hence the risk from an accident that would be harmless to anyone else is greater for him.

It is possible that Kubica is aware that he has no further scope for improved use of his right arm and therefore has nothing to lose by enjoying himself but if he's aiming for further rehabilitation risking all by rallying isn't the most intelligent move.

[MrJan]

While part of me cheers the fact that he's back behind the wheel of a car a large part of me does wonder why he's so willing to risk his recovery for what is still a hobby for him (rallying).

In that case you clearly don't understand the bug. He wants to drive so much that he's willing to risk it all. There is a guy that's entered a few hillclimbs that I've done that only has the use of one arm. He rides a motorbike with a sidecar and passenger, he just tucks the useless arm onto the fuel tank before he does a run. He does that because he loves motorsport. Kubica is the same, the payoff is worth the risk to him.

[Malbec]

In that case you clearly don't understand the bug. He wants to drive so much that he's willing to risk it all. There is a guy that's entered a few hillclimbs that I've done that only has the use of one arm. He rides a motorbike with a sidecar and passenger, he just tucks the useless arm onto the fuel tank before he does a run. He does that because he loves motorsport. Kubica is the same, the payoff is worth the risk to him.

Actually I do understand, I've treated a fair few amateur and professional racers in my time.

The guy you describe, did he race during his rehabilitation period?

Most have the intelligence to be able to assess the risks and hold off racing during their rehabilitation if it increases the risk of a career-ender. That is especially the case in professional racers as we are talking about a threat to their livelihood. That is why I raised the possibility that Kubica may know that there is no further improvement to be achieved and that he may as well go rallying.

[rabf1]

"Found this ... Robert's hand doesn't look normal but hopefully he will recover"

It looks from that video that his right arm is nearly useless. His elbow and wrist appear locked and unbendable and his hand also looks like it has minimal movement.

[Tazio]

This would be pretty cool if it were to come to fruition.
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[Koz]

Not so sure there doc, there's a big BUT in that.

"At the moment I have enough to drive a rally car, but not a single seater," he is quoted by French television TF1.

Kubica is, however, refusing to close the chapter.

"I still have too many limitations to drive a car on a track," he said in an interview with Italy's Omnicorse.

"And I'm not talking about a Formula One car; I mean any single seater."

F1: Kubica To Reveal Next Plans 'In Due Course'

[TMorel]

Interesting that Alonso being interviewed about Robert and saying that as a friend he is glad to see him out there rallying, because that is what he has to do to get the limbs remembering how to compete. But then, he is saying that as a racer not a doctor.