Kubica ‘suffering’ with lost opportunity of 2011 – manager

Robert Kubica is slowly coming to terms with his injures and the lost opportunity of 2011.

That is the admission of the Pole’s manager Daniele Morelli, after Renault said on Tuesday that an improving Kubica “reacted well to the news about his condition and is ready to fight for his comeback”.

The reality, however, is that while the alarming medical bulletins have eased, the 26-year-old will be in hospital for weeks at least.

And there remain question-marks not about the future functionality of his right arm that was partially severed during a minor rally event last Sunday, but also his other injured limbs.

Morelli was one of the few people able to speak with Kubica on Tuesday while doctors eased pain sedatives in order to gauge the grand prix winner’s neurological condition.

“I told him about the accident, and the extent of his fractures and injuries, and Robert was shocked,” Morelli is quoted by O Estado de S.Paulo.

“He understood that he will be out (of F1) for quite a long time and he is suffering with that,” Kubica’s manager admitted.

“He would have already been driving the new car again at Jerez,” added Morelli.

At the end of his first stint with the new R31, Kubica ended the Valencia test last week with the fastest time overall.

“It’s the first time a team has conceived a car with Robert integrally in mind,” Morelli continued.

For F1, it is a tragedy that the R31/Kubica combination might have been a true title contender, but Morelli said the overriding feeling at present is relief.

“We are happy because for the first 12 hours the question was whether Robert would survive.  When he reached the hospital his condition was critical,” he revealed.

“But now we are planning already to leave the ICU,” said Morelli.

Kubica’s manager also acknowledged the debate at present about the wisdom of combining being a full-time F1 driver with the much more dangerous pursuit of road rallying.

“Robert loves rallying, and he had done the previous 12 without any problems.  Actually, I hadn’t thought about that — it looks like this was number 13,” he said.

13 is considered such bad luck that no competitor uses the number on the F1 grid.

And Morelli said Kubica’s reported EUR 6 million retainer for the 2011 season is the least of his concerns.

“Every driver has insurance,” he revealed, “but this is the matter that concerns us the least of all.

“We are all conscious of what lies ahead, the effort that is going to be put to have Robert sitting in a cockpit once again,” added Morelli.

© RIF | GMM