Kubica’s 2011 Campaign in Doubt After Rally Crash

Renault race driver Robert Kubica looks set to miss part - if not all - of the 2011 Formula One season after 

Kubica, who regularly combines rallying events with his F1 career, was airlifted from the scene of the crash and underwent lengthy surgery at the Santa Corona Hospital in Pietra Ligure, with most attention focused on his heavily injured hand. His co-driver Jakub Gerber was unhurt.

Reports suggest that Kubica lost control of his Skoda Fabia on damp roads and hit a wall during Sunday’s opening stage. The car is then understood to have impacted with a barrier, which pierced its footwell.

Following surgery, Doctor Igor Rossello told waiting media that he had ‘reconstructed the anatomy’ of Kubica’s forearm, adding that it would be around a week before the success of the operation could be judged, and warning that the Polish driver will face an extended rehabilitation period, possibly 12 months, to regain full use of his hand.

Kubica, who survived an horrific crash at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, was set to start his fifth full season of Formula One competition in Bahrain next month, lining up for a second year alongside Russian team mate Vitaly Petrov.

Top of the list to stand in for Kubica will be Bruno Senna, who raced for HRT in 2010 and was announced as a Renault third driver last week. However, given Senna’s and Petrov’s relative inexperience - and the apparent seriousness of Kubica’s injuries - there's already speculation the team could consider other options.

Too bad because for me he's one of the most competitive drivers in F1..and where expecting that sooner he'll join the Ferrari family. Hope he'll have a fast recovery...