Kubica Continues Open Wheel Return With Formula E Test at Donington Park

[Paul Jeffrey]

Former Formula One and WRC driver Robert Kubica has taken another step towards a return to circuit competition after sampling a Formula E car for the first time today at Donington Park in Leicestershire.

The talented Polish driver and fan favourite was scheduled to compete full time in the World Endurance Championship this season for the Bykolles Prototype team, however after a troubled start to life with the squad Kubica pulled out of his commitment on the eve of the opening race at Silverstone, leaving many to wonder if the Pole would be postponing his circuit racing return indefinitely.

Despite having stepped away from the WEC drive, Kubica has been far from relaxing having spent time driving different machinery in an bid to better understand if his injuries sustained during a rally accident will prevent the driver from competitively returning to open wheel action. Having sampled a current GP3 car as recently as last month at Franciacorta, Kubica has again stepped behind the wheel of a car with a private test session in the all electric Formula E machine at Donington Park today. With overcast conditions for much of the day, Kubica reportedly managed a reasonable amount of mileage in the Formula E car with very little in the way of concerns with regards to his outstanding hand injury.

Officially no times or reports from the session have been made available, however I have it on good authority that the driver has suitably impressed onlookers with his performance and the ease at which he adapted to a very different car than is his usual home, and interest remains with both driver and the Formula E championship to see the 32-year-old compete in upcoming rounds of the series.

With seats open at both DS Virgin and the Renault e.dams team due to Jose Maria Lopez, Sam Bird and Sebastien Buemi all competing at the clashing Nurburgring World Endurance Championship round, Kubica could feasibly be slotted into place ahead of the inaugural New York ePrix in July. However with only a single short test at Donington under his belt, and an understandably strong desire to ensure he is physically and mentally prepared for any new racing challenge, the chances of seeing Kubica line up on a Formula E grid at such short notice remain an outside possibility at best. That is not to say that opportunities within the Formula E paddock do not remain, with the series keen to attract such a star driver as Kubica undoubtedly still is in motorsport, and the driver himself looking at opportunities to step back into a high level track series, it remains entirely possible that Formula E could see the return of one of Formula One's great lost talents before the season is done.


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Would you like to see Kubica race in Formula E? Do you think the driver could make a competitive return to open wheel racing? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[el chasco]

Please. Return to the F1, not into a sub zero category!

 

[Angelo dos Santos]

I go the other way. Its the perfect place for him to return to open wheelers.
All that tight tracks, if he can manage it and be competitive, he is ready to return for F1.

 

[Deleted member 113561]

It was so sad that he had to left Formula 1
I fear he is too old for Formula 1 ... and we won't see him there anymore

 

[ShenonGZ]

It was so sad that he had to left Formula 1
I fear he is too old for Formula 1 ... and we won't see him there anymore

Age is not the problem. The problem is the poor mobility of the hand. At WRC he drove with one hand

 

[Andrew Harper]

Would be good to see him back, he made the right decision about the WEC. He would have been more competitive in an LMP2 seat rather than the lone LMP1 privateer car.

My only concern about Formula-E is the tracks and the danger of harsh accidents. How fragile is his injury? I'm just thinking of contact with the walls, lack of runoff, etc.

Wishing him all the best though, whatever he decides to do

 

[Celestiale]

I go the other way. Its the perfect place for him to return to open wheelers.
All that tight tracks, if he can manage it and be competitive, he is ready to return for F1.

Despite that a Formula E car is closer to a Go Kart, or Tatuus Formula 4, then to F1...

 

[Angelo dos Santos]

Speed is not the problem to Robert Kubica, mate. He have to evaluate his limitations about the arm, and Formula E will do just that.

 

[Celestiale]

Speed is not the problem to Robert Kubica, mate. He have to evaluate his limitations about the arm, and Formula E will do just that.

I'd say it's quite a difference to hold on to a wheel at 6G with 300kph compared to 2G at 150kph, especially regarding forces acting on your body/arms/shoulders

 

[Angelo dos Santos]

Well, we´re going to disagree anyway, but Kubica himself always said that the difference is how far and in which angles he can move his arm inside the cockipit of an open wheeler, instead the force itself.
To me it makes perfect sense.
But who knows.

 

[JuanManuelFangio]

So great!

 

[RichardHessels]

Please. Return to the F1, not into a sub zero category!

Impossible after the injury he got. His lefthand will never function fully again. Was nearly torn off by a guardrail coming trough the car.

 

[Tomrudy]

I hope this is just a temporary pit drive thru before entering F1. He made the weekends totally unpredictable and exciting, pure talent.