Jan.13 (Reuters) Robert Kubica’s former Renault Formula One team wished him a speedy recovery on Thursday after the Pole, who missed all last season due to near-fatal injuries, slipped and broke his leg in a further setback to his return to racing.
“Robert has shown fantastic courage and determination in his rehabilitation following the accident last year, and it is sad to hear that he has suffered this setback,” said Lotus principal Eric Boullier in a statement.
“On behalf of everyone at Lotus Renault GP, I would like to wish Robert a quick recovery.”
Lotus, the renamed Renault team, have signed 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen for 2012 along with French driver Romain Grosjean.
Kubica, who suffered leg and arm injuries in a rally accident in Italy last February, is now out of contract with the team and had been linked to Ferrari as a possible replacement in 2013 for Brazilian Felipe Massa.
Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso is one of the Pole’s closest friends in Formula One and the Spaniard told reporters at a team event in the Dolomites that he was sure Kubica would be back better than ever.
“The best driver is Robert Kubica and I want to wish him all the best,” declared the double world champion, who won both his titles with Renault and was the Pole’s predecessor at that British-based team.
“I spoke to him on the telephone about his leg yesterday and I am sure when he is going to return he is going to be the best driver.”
Kubica was taken to hospital in Italy with a suspected micro-fracture of his right leg, which he broke last year, after slipping on ice in the street near the west coast town of Viareggio.
Asked whether he would like to see Kubica with him at Ferrari, Alonso gave nothing away: “I am happy to have Felipe Massa as a team mate,” he replied.