F1 in Canada: Robert Kubica’s Redemption Story

In the mid to late 2000’s, Polish driver Robert Kubica was a force in Formula 1, and was hotly tipped to become a world champion. Robbed of a stellar career in F1 by cruel fate, his best moment came in Canada a year after one of the most shocking accidents F1 has seen.

2007: Canadian Grand Prix

On a Safety Car restart, Kubica - running 15th - was headed toward the hairpin section when he lost control of his car, launching over the grass, hitting a concrete wall where he narrowly avoided collecting another retired car before bouncing back across the track with a 360° spin on the way before coming to rest against the wall in front of the packed Montreal grandstand.

📸 Kubica’s crash was measured at 75G.

To everyone’s amazement, the Polish driver got off lightly with a concussion, a fractured ankle and a hell of a story to tell.

2008: Canadian Grand Prix

A year on from his crash, Kubica pulled off something more remarkable than a 75G crash. The Polish driver took a stunning win for his BMW Sauber team at the exact same circuit he’d had the accident a year prior.

Sauber were, at the time, an excellent midfield outfit but as a result of pitlane red light chaos under a safety car, Kubica (who had started second), found himself in the lead after Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen’s pitlane accident and went on to lead a BMW Sauber one-two finish as he ended the race over 16 seconds ahead of teammate Heidfeld in what remains Sauber’s only win to date.

📸 Kubica lauds his, Sauber’s, and Poland’s one and only win in F1 to date.

To more modern (or newer) fans of F1, he’s known for being a back marker but to those of us who followed Kubica’s progress in the 2000’s, we all wonder what could have been for him and what he could have achieved in F1. One of F1’s biggest ‘what if?’ drivers.

📸 Image credits: Formula Motorsport Limited, Sky Sports.