F1’s underrated heroes, ep.5; Robert Kubica

Those who have followed F1 from 2012 onwards won’t think an awful lot about Robert Kubica, other than perhaps knowing his story, an ill fated season with Williams and some outings for Alfa Romeo. However, the only Pole to ever compete in F1 was once regarded as a likely World Champion.

A hotshot challenger to the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Will Power in feeder series racing, Kubica made his F1 debut as a stand in for Jacques Villeneuve for BMW Sauber in 2006 at the Hungarian Grand Prix where he out qualified (ninth place) his more experienced teammate, Nick Heidfeld but was eventually disqualified from his race due to an underweight car after finishing seventh. A fallout between Villeneuve and Sauber saw Kubica promoted to the race seat for the rest of the season.

📸A young Kubica at the start of his F1 career.

He followed up his debut with a disappointing 12th in Turkey, although still ahead of Heidfeld before stunning fans and pundits at the Italian GP where he guided Sauber to a third place finish becoming, at the time, the first driver to step on the rostrum in their first three races since Alex Wurz in 1997.

Kubica’s form saw him retained for 2007 alongside Heidfeld and the Pole continued in similar vain with Sauber, finishing all but one race he finished outside the points for the German team. His season was soured at that season’s Canadian GP when he was involved in a single car accident with a 75G accident that saw him riccochet from one side of the track to the other, slipping in the process before coming to rest at the side of the track. He escaped the accident with a concussion and a fractured ankle, and missed the following US Grand Prix as a result.

📸A hard crash in Montreal.

2008 saw a resurgent Kubica, the third year driver taking his and Sauber’s first pole in Bahrain and showing consistent qualifyings and race finishes, including second places at the Malaysian and Monaco GP’s. The Canadian GP saw the Pole take advantage of misfortune for other drivers to claim a historic first Sauber (and Polish) victory in Formula 1, a year on from his accident. The Pole endured an up/down end to the 2008 season, but having previously led the World Drivers Championship, finished fourth overall.

📸A win for Sauber, a win for Poland.

A slight downturn in fortunes followed for Kubica and Sauber in 2009 saw results slide, and Kubica left the team for ailing Renault, who at the time, were trying to restore their reputation after ‘Crashgate’ at the 2009 Singapore GP.

The Pole performed strongly for Renault through 2010, mustering up two podiums for the French marque at the Monaco and Belgium GP’s as he showcased many attacking an overtaking performances through the season, being regarded as one of F1’s strongest drivers at the time.

📸Kubica with Renault.

2011 changed everything for Kubica, as an off season rally accident appeared to have ended the Pole’s F1 career. A partially amputated arm, fractures to his shoulder, leg and elbow, and significant blood loss were reported to have occurred to the Polish driver in the accident and Kubica was then ruled out of the 2011 and 2012 F1 seasons, beginning what would turn out to be an eight year hiatus from the series.

📸Kubica was extricated from this accident after medics work on him for over an hour.

In 2018, Kubica revealed he had signed with Ferrari for the 2012 season to replace Felipe Massa and partner Fernando Alonso, but his injury meant that move never happened.

After regular test appearances from 2017, Kubica signed as Williams’ reserve in 2018, backing up Lance Stroll and Felipe Massa, but as Massa retired and Stroll joined Racing Point, Williams promoted Kubica to a race seat alongside Mercedes junior and F1 rookie George Russell.

📸With Williams, ahead of Russell.

Russell outperformed Kubica much of the season, beating the Pole in qualifying, although Kubica did score Williams’ only point of an otherwise forgettable season, before leaving the team for a reserve role at Alfa Romeo, but just two more appearances would come as he stood in for COVID stricken Kimi Raikkonen and he departed F1 at the end of the 2022 season with 99 race starts, one win, 12 podiums and one pole position and remains one of F1’s biggest ‘what if?’ drivers.

📸Kubica would make his 99th and final F1 appearance with Alfa Romeo.

Post F1, he’s won races and champions in ELMS, WEC & and in rally racing, and winning the illustrious 24h of Le Mans race…for Ferrari. Fairytale complete, but F1 and no doubt, Kubica, still ponders what could have been.

📸Deserved more.

📸Image credit: BBC Sport, Formula Motorsport Limited, Sky Sports.