The Rise of a Future Star
Robert Kubica’s introduction to motorsports came early in life at the tender age of 4, when his father gave him a small off-road vehicle powered by a 4hp petrol engine. Young Robert spent countless hours driving around makeshift tracks made of plastic bottles, quickly realizing his need for an upgrade to continue pursuing his newfound passion.
His father soon bought him a go-kart, but age restrictions prevented Kubica from entering the Polish Karting Championship before age 10. When he became eligible, Robert Kubica wasted no time in making his presence known – winning an incredible six titles in just three years!
His meteoric rise continued as he dominated the International Italian Junior Karting Championship in 1998. This established Robert Kubica as the first foreigner to win this prestigious title. More victories followed in the prestigious Monaco Kart Cup held on the iconic Formula 1 street circuit.
By the end of 2000, Kubica had scored two runner-up positions in the Karting World Championships to cap a supremely successful karting career. He competed with drivers like Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, and often was able to beat them, and take the highest step of the podium on numerous occasions
Gradual Ascent through the Junior Ranks
The year 2000 marked Kubica’s transition into professional circuit racing, as he assumed a test driver role in the Formula Renault 2000 series. Despite not scoring any wins, his consistency earned him a driver development contract with Renault – a vital opportunity for any aspiring F1 driver.
Robert Kubica spent the next two years racing and winning in the Italian and Eurocup Formula Renault 2000 series. His success caught the attention of the Epsilon Euskadi team, who signed him on to race in the 2005 World Series by Renault season.
Driving for Epsilon Euskadi proved to be the big break Kubica was waiting for. He scored 4 wins and 11 podium finishes in 17 races, dominating the series to earn the championship title. This triumph also earned him coveted test drives with his longtime target destination – Formula 1.
Arriving on the Pinnacle of Motorsports
Kubica’s World Series title opened the F1 door for him, as he was signed on by BMW Sauber as their test and reserve driver for 2006. Later that year, regular driver Jacques Villeneuve, son of Gilles Villeneuve, and the 1997 F1 champion, has been considered too slow and the team replaced him with Robert Kubica. This opened up a seat for Kubica to make his F1 debut at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Despite the short notice, Kubica delivered an inspirational drive in tricky wet conditions to finish 7th on debut, which was a great result, as BMW was a midfield team competing for points, and podiums were outside of their reach. However, Kubica was later disqualified due to an underweight car.
Nonetheless, his performance was enough to convince BMW Sauber to promote him to a race seat for the remainder of 2006 and the 2007 season. The 2007 Canadian Grand Prix witnessed the first major incident of Kubica’s F1 career. On lap 27, his BMW Sauber clipped Jarno Trulli’s Toyota which launched Kubica airborne into the barrier at an estimated 75G deceleration force.
This was considered one of the biggest crashes of the XXI century in F1, and an ultimate test to prove the safety of modern F1 cars. Kubica didn’t hit a wall of tyres, or a styrofoam, but a concrete wall, and his car almost disappeared upon the crash, leaving only the monocoque with the Polish driver in it.
While the crash appeared horrific from the outside, Kubica miraculously survived with just a sprained ankle and minor concussion. This incident highlighted his tenacity and refusal to back down – attributes that quickly turned him into a fan favorite.
The Breakthrough Season and Agonizing Setbacks
After fully recovering over the winter, Kubica began the 2008 season strongly by scoring podiums in Malaysia and Monaco. He carried this form to the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix and lined up second on the grid alongside Lewis Hamilton.
Midway through the 70-lap race, Hamilton crashed into Kimi Raikkonen while exiting the pits – eliminating both drivers on the spot. This promoted Kubica to the race lead, which he then defended with maturity to secure his maiden Formula 1 victory in just his 28th race.
This victory placed Kubica atop the Drivers’ Championship, with many tipped him as an outside title contender. Sadly for Kubica, this win marked both the high point for him and BMW Sauber as a package. Development rapidly switched focus to the 2009 car, in line with alleged instructions from BMW’s corporate management.
The second half of 2008 saw BMW Sauber’s form taper off, with Kubica scoring just two more podiums to end the season 4th overall. The situation worsened in 2009 as BMW endured its worst season in F1 with just 36 points, culminating in its withdrawal from the sport.
Seeking a Fresh Start with Renault
Now left scrambling for a seat, Robert Kubica found a new home at Renault for 2010. His consistency helped Renault finish a competitive 5th in the Constructors’ Championship – including an emotional 2nd place in Australia. Kubica’s standout qualifying P3 at Monaco rekindled thoughts of a potential future with Ferrari.
The 2010 season proved vital for Kubica to re-establish himself as a top-line driver after his fractured 2009 campaign. With his stock on the rise again, 2011 was tipped as the year Robert would fight at the sharp end once more.
These aspirations faced a shocking setback at the minor Ronde di Andora rally in early 2011. Robert Kubica suffered a high-speed crash that nearly cost him his life and led to partial amputation of his forearm. The long road to recovery had begun once more for the Pole.
Determined to Race Again
Despite suggestions that Kubica may never drive an F1 car again, he remained determined to race once more. He returned to competition just a year after his accident by winning the Ronde Gomitolo Di Lana rally in Italy.
This proved he retained the ability to perform at the highest level, though the deficits in the mobility and strength of his right arm remained apparent. Over the next few years, Robert Kubica gradually rebuilt his career – first in WRC2 and then in the premier WRC category.
Though the limitations from his injury persisted in the physically demanding WRC machines, Kubica displayed flashes of brilliance like his epic win at the grueling Acropolis Rally in 2013.
The Long-Awaited Formula 1 Return
Nearly 8 years after the rally crash that nearly ended his career, the Formula 1 paddock was stunned in November 2018 when Williams announced Robert Kubica would return to a race seat for 2019. Williams provided Robert the opportunity for his ultimate redemption, despite their own struggles as a team.
Driving the underpowered Williams FW42, Kubica displayed his class by dragging the car far beyond its capable limits in races. At an equally rain-soaked German Grand Prix, Kubica brought home Williams’ only point of 2019 with a spirited drive to finish 10th, ahead of his teammate George Russell.
This emotional result highlighted Kubica’s unwavering determination and skill, silencing doubters who questioned his credentials during a difficult comeback season.
Brief Reappearance and Securing His Racing Future
With his racing prospects uncertain after parting ways with Williams, Robert Kubica took on a reserve driver role at Alfa Romeo in 2020. This gave him the occasional Friday practice outing, but Kubica remained intent on racing competitively again.
That opportunity arose at the 2021 Dutch Grand Prix, where Robert Kubica substituted for the sick Kimi Raikkonen and brought a lot of joy to the fans around the world, battling with drivers in much better machinery. This restated his capabilities beyond doubt to any lingering skeptics.
Beginning 2022, Kubica switched his focus to Sports Car racing – a wise choice given the reduced physical demands compared to single seaters. Driving for Prema Orlen, Robert Kubica won the 2022 European Le Mans Series title against drivers half his age to underline his supreme race craft.
Now signed on to race Ferraris in the 2024 World Endurance Championship, Kubica has completed his romantic career redemption arc by securing a drive for the most iconic racing brand in the world. In early September, he won the Lone Star Le Mans race held at Austin, becoming only the third driver in history to win a F1 race and a WEC race after Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber
The Legacy and Influence of a Tenacious Champion
From nearly losing his life, to emotional race victories in adverse conditions, and finally achieving success with Ferrari – Robert Kubica’s sensational story never ceases to inspire all those dreaming of making it to the top.
His unwavering self-belief and determination in the face of devastating setbacks sets him apart as a beacon for future generations. Robert Kubica transformed himself from being the nearly-man of F1 into one of motorsport’s most tenacious and well-rounded racers.
Robert Kubica also has a great sense of humor, and is very authentic – something from the previous era of F1 drivers, that makes him highly likeable. And he even reacted positively to the Gigakubica memes, which flooded the internet in 2019, upon his return to F1.
At only 38 years of age, the Pole still has several chapters left to write in his phenomenal racing journey filled with twists that even Hollywood screenwriters would struggle to conjure. Kubica is the only F1 driver from Poland, but there are quite a few names in the feeder series, hoping to join the best on the grid, such as Kacper Sztuka, Piotr Wiśnicki and Tymek Kucharczyk