Kubica: Hope never dies!

Robert Kubica has admitted that racing in Formula 1 remains "beyond my reach" at present, but at the same time remains hopeful.

The now 30-year-old Pole has been conspicuously absent from the grid since 2011, when in the pre-season he had an horror accident whilst contesting a rally.

Today, he is a World Rally driver but to date has been unable to return to Formula 1 due to the long-term injuries sustained to his arm.

"Hope never dies!" Kubica said in an interview with Sokolim Okiem. "But you have to be realistic."

Kubica has said that while he would be able to drive a F1 car on "some circuits", his movement limitations means the full calendar is out of the question for now.

"If someone told me "Robert, at the beginning of the next season you will race at Monza', then I can lose 10 kilograms, which unfortunately I gained ... and I would race," he said.

But he said he is not seeking an opportunity like that, "After the accident I found myself in a situation in which I needed new goals."

"New ones because I know that I am not able to achieve my previous goals and the new ones have to replace the goals which for now are unfortunately beyond my reach."

He says he rarely watches F1 these days, admitting the pinnacle of motor sport is "less attractive" now because the cars are slower.

"I think that Formula 1 is a bit less attractive - but I don't say that it is not attractive at all - because it is slower now," said Kubica.

"The opening laps are slower by about eight seconds. I think that in 2008, in the same race with the same number of laps, total race time was shorter by some eight minutes.

"In those times when you did three days of testing, towards the end you were really exhausted, it was enough to slow down by three tenths per lap to get some relief," he added.

Kubica made his grand prix debut at the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix and raced in 76 Formula 1 races, his last being at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He scored a single victory along the way in a BMW Sauber, at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix.

The Pole ended his final F1 test session in 2011 fastest of all in the Lotus powered Renault, a few days before his accident in the Ronde di Andora rally.