Robert Kubica F1 return in jeopardy as Sergey Sirotkin offers Williams MASSIVE sum
GETTY Robert Kubica and Sergey Sirotkin are battling for the second seat at Williams in 2018
Kubica raced 76 times in F1 between 2006 and 2010 before a horrific rally crash in February 2011 left him with life-threatening injuries. A crash barrier went through the cockpit of the Pole’s rally specification Skoda Fabia and pinned him for more than an hour, leaving him with a partial amputated forearm as well as compound fractures to his leg, elbow and shoulder. The 33-year-old still has problems rotating his right wrist properly but proved in a Renault test earlier this year that he still has the ability to operate an F1 car.
However, the team opted to replace Jolyon Palmer with Carlos Sainz Jr, leaving Kubica and Renault reserve driver Sirotkin both looking elsewhere for a 2018 drive. And Canadian newspaper Journal de Montreal now claim that Williams stand to gain as much as £11.2million in guaranteed sponsorship if they plump for Sirotkin. The figure is said to be one Kubica cannot currently match and Russia, who organise the Grand Prix in Sochi, are thought to be desperate not to be without a driver on the grid after Daniil Kvyat was dropped by Toro Rosso.
Robert Kubica makes F1 return with Renault in Hungary test Wed, August 2, 2017 Robert Kubica tests with Renault in Hungary as he continues his recovery from a horrifying rallying accident Play slideshow James Moy Photography/PA Images 1 of 10 Robert Kubica has taken a step closer to an F1 return with a test run in Hungary
But Williams will still have to weigh up the fact that Kubica produced the faster times of the pair during a two-day in Abu Dhabi at the end of last month. And a number of drivers who were in F1 the last time Kubica competed have been quick to praise his sheer pace, including reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton. "Robert's one of the quickest drivers I have raced against," Hamilton said back in August.
GETTY Felipe Massa has retired from his Williams seat for a second time