Here is a story of remarkable resilience and determination which is definitely one of the greatest comebacks in all of motorsport. Formula 1 only has limited race seats every year and once a driver is out of the scene it's almost impossible to come back. However, Rubert Kubica has done the "impossible" by returning to F1 eight years after a rally accident nearly killed him.
The 33-year-old Polish racing driver has sealed a sensational comeback to Formula One after securing a race seat with Williams for the 2019 season. Kubica will drive alongside Williams' new recruit--British rookie George Russell. This will see both current drivers Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin moving away from the Grove, a UK based racing team.
Kubica was the driver for Lotus Renault GP and was forced to leave racing after a crash on the first stage of the Ronde di Andora rally in February 2011. He was trapped in the crashed car for more than an hour before extrication and was flown by helicopter to the nearest hospital. Soon it was confirmed that his body suffered a partial amputation of the forearm, compound fractures in his right elbow, shoulder and leg, as well as a significant loss of blood. The incident was seemingly a sudden full stop to Kubica's career.
Defying all odds, the Polish driver has now made a triumphant return to motorsport.
Kubica made first attempt to return to Formula 1 in 2017 when he drove a Renault-organized test of their 2012 car. On 11 October 2017, Kubica stepped up his game by completing a one-day test with Williams at Silverstone. Kubica became Williams' reserve driver for the current season, his final step before securing his full-time race seat for 2019 Formula One season.
"Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who has helped me during what was a difficult period of my life over these last few years," said Kubica. "It has been a challenging journey to make it back to the Formula 1 grid, but what seemed almost impossible is now beginning to feel possible, as I am excited to be able to say that I will be on the Formula 1 grid in 2019."
Kubica made his F1 debut back in 2006 with BMW Sauber, and has bagged 12 podiums so far– including a victory in the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix–with the best finish of fourth in the drivers' standings.
