Kubica: I'll be backposted in F121 | 04 | 2011
TEN WEEKS after the horror rally crash in Italy which almost cost him his life, TW Steel-backed Renault F1 driver Robert Kubica has spoken publicly for the first time about his injuries and the long fight ahead to regain his full fitness. The one thing which he's definite about is, he'll be back!
It's, just over 10 weeks on from your accident – how are you feeling?
Robert Kubica: 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 in Italy very soon.
When exactly will you leave the hospital?
I don’t have a precise date as yet but I hope to be able to leave within the next 10 days.
Concerning the injury to your hand, how is the mobility now?
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.
Can you tell us a little bit about your rehabilitation programme?
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.
There’s been an amazing reaction from the fans – how has the response helped your recovery?
I must admit that it’s been overwhelming and, yes, it’s helped me a lot. I really didn’t realise 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.
Have you been staying in regular touch with the team since you’ve been away?
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. Eric Boullier is also in constant contact, keeping up to date with my general condition.
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?
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.
Finally, what messages would you like to pass on to your supporters in the Formula 1 world?
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.
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Jim McGill