Robert Kubica has today informed Lotus Renault GP that he will not be ready for the start of the 2012 season, despite having started an intensive training programme. The Pole is still recovering from his really crash earlier this year and thereby gives the green light to LRGP to select its drivers for the 2012 campaign.
Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
ringo wrote:same thing over and over from this guy.
who's this doctor? Valentino Rossi in disguise? Cause he doesn't seem to be so good at gving good medical predictions.
You would think Robert was going to give the doc 10% of his earnings if he gets a seat in 2012.
Basically there are 2 doctors: Rossello, top Italian surgeon who did all the reconstruction work on Kubica's arm/whrist/hand - from his standpoint healing is completed with full success. Don;t think this guy needs more publicity or fame - he's already world renowned.
And Dr. Riccardo Caccarelli, who is running his own training/rehabilitation clinic (http://www.formulamedicine.com/it/storia.php with motorsport specialization where Robert undergoes rehab - who said he needs couple of months to be 100% fit.
Both are just saying Kubica will be physically (from clinical point of view) able to drive F1 car in 2012. Nothing more and nothing less.
n smikle wrote:His arm is in bandages and looks to be quite swollen.
It's an old photograph. He's(has been for quite a while now) in the last stage of the rehabilitation program, building up his muscles. He would not be able to do that before they take the cast off. End of story.
The speed of Ayrton Senna.
The mind of Alain Prost.
The dedication of Michael Schumacher.
The determination of Alex Zanardi.
The likelihood of an early 2012 return to the Lotus (currently Renault) team for Robert Kubica appears to have receded even further.
The Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Thursday that the Polish driver, who has already undergone five operations since his February rally crash, is scheduled to have more surgery in the coming days.
The next operation will be on his right wrist and will surely intensify speculation that team boss Eric Boullier has already decided to pair Vitaly Petrov with the new GP2 champion Romain Grosjean next season.
Kubica’s hand surgeon Igor Rossello suggested that the new surgery is relatively minor.
“The mobility of Kubica’s right hand is satisfactory,” he said. “Robert has told me that he has already driven a car. This a miracle of his will.”
But the report said Kubica is still months from the end of his rehabilitation process.
I'm by no mean a doc, but rehab for me just means that you're ABLE to use the full functionality of the hand, and the strength is not included in that word. I've done rehab after broken elbow. Doctors are happy if you can do all the movements that an elbow can do -> it's just functional rehab. In fact, for reaching the full strength of my arm, i have to do additional training for almost 1 year after rehab. Of course with a professional equipment and dedicated doctor it could be much less. Those two doctors are just doing their jobs. The surgeon is happy with returned functionality, and a "motorsport-spec" doctor would only be happy with return of the full strength required by F1.
When I broke my arm and hand (Had 2 plates and 14 screws put in my arm) I had a full range of movement very quickly (I was lucky) but I had to go to rehab until I reached certain targets such as 80% grip strength of the grip strength as my other hand.
Renault is considering allowing
Robert Kubica to make a
phased return to racing in
Formula 1 next year, since time is
running out for the Pole to convince
the team that he will be fit for the
start of testing on February 7.
AUTOSPORT understands that
although doctors are very confident
that Kubica will be fit enough to
return to Formula 1 in the long run,
the recovery of the nerves in his
right hand has progressed more
slowly than originally expected.
While there is no fundamental
problem, and he should recover full
dexterity in the hand, his first F1
simulator test has had to be put
back repeatedly. Originally mooted
for September, it might not now be
able to take place until the second
half of November – or later.
Renault team principal Eric
Boullier had previously written off
the idea of starting the year with a
stand-in driver, so confident was he
that Kubica would recover in time.
But with the latest medical reports
suggesting that Kubica faces an uphill struggle to reach full fitness
by February, the situation has
changed. However, given the
reasonable expectation of a full
recovery, Renault could still leave
the door open for Kubica to step in
during the season.
It is now likely that the team will
sign a stand-in driver who could
step aside in the event that Kubica
proves his fitness, which he could
do through running in an oldspecification
car in private testing
and Friday practice drives in the
2012 Renault during GP weekends. KUBICA’S RECOVERY
Since undergoing an eighth
operation to unblock his elbow at
the end of August, Kubica has
entered the recovery and
rehabilitation phase following
his potentially life-threatening
rally crash in February. His right leg has healed
completely and mobility has been
restored to his hand, which was
seriously wounded in the crash. He
has also had to work hard on
rebuilding the muscle in his right
arm, which has further complicated
his return to race fitness. Sources
indicate that Kubica has regained a
reasonable level of dexterity in the
fingers of his right hand, but that he
is still some way short of the level
needed to race an F1 car.
While Renault is willing to
fast-track him into competition
and, given the value of a fully-fit
Kubica, will do anything to get him
into a car, there is no way to
expedite the process. Renault is still
evaluating ways to configure the
steering wheel to minimise the
demands on his right hand.
Kubica himself has remained
silent, preferring not to talk publicly
until he has definite news.
THE STAND-IN
With Vitaly Petrov confirmed for
the other car next season, Renault would not be able to bring in a
proven top-line driver as Kubica’s
stand-in because it cannot
guarantee a full-time seat.
AUTOSPORT understands that
the choice is between current
incumbent Bruno Senna and
Romain Grosjean. Senna has
struggled for consistency since
making his debut for the team in the
Belgian Grand Prix in August, but
has impressed the team with his
sporadic speed and intelligent
approach. GP2 champion Grosjean,
who will drive for the team during
Friday practice in the upcoming Abu
Dhabi and Brazilian Grands Prix, is
known to be fast but is unproven.
The other question is whether
either would accept a situation
whereby they could lose their race
seat a few races into the season.
Grosjean is handled by Gravity
Sports Management, run by
Boullier, so would likely accept such
a deal. However, talks are ongoing
about placing Grosjean at a rival
team to build experience. Senna,
who is also a potential contender for
a Williams drive, might be harder to
convince. Boullier insists that no
decision has yet been taken.
“Driver-wise, it is too early to
know,” he told AUTOSPORT. “We
will see how Robert is and if he can
come back.”
