Kubica feels he has '80-90%' chance of F1 return

Robert Kubica rates his chances of returning to Formula 1 as "80 or 90 percent" following his recent test with Renault.

Having been a Lotus-Renault driver at the time of his rally crash that left him with life-threatening injuries in 2011, Kubica tested a 2012-specification Lotus E20 at Valencia last month. With the Polish driver now expected to carry out a further test for Renault this summer, he admits the performance he delivered has raised his hopes of returning to F1.

"If you asked me how much I was realistically thinking that coming back to F1 was possible [before the test], I would have put myself up to 10 or maximum 20 percent chance," Kubica told Auto Express at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where he again took the wheel of a Renault F1 car (pictured). "Because the clock is running – not just the classification, but also [I am] getting older. F1 is going so fast that some people forget – not everyone, but some."

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When asked what he would now rate his chances of a return at, Kubica replied: "Because I'm very realistic, and I'm keeping my feet on the ground, I'd put it at 80 or 90 percent."

Kubica admits the test was a nerve-racking moment for him as he was unsure how he would deal with driving an F1 car due to limitations with the movement of his right arm, but says he immediately realized he is capable of performing at a high level once again.

"You build up your own question marks, based on how you know yourself and your body, and then if you'd asked me about them after even the first run at Valencia, they were gone, gone, gone, gone. Then it becomes much easier than I thought. This gives you good confidence and puts you in a completely different level – of trying to have a better feeling in the car and better performance.

"Once my comfort, or let's say limitation things, were gone in three laps, I could concentrate on trying to get back to the proper rhythm. I'm surprised how it felt; it felt for me like I hadn't driven for one month, not six years."

Current Renault driver Jolyon Palmer has been at the center of recent speculation regarding his future after a difficult start to the season, although managing director Cyril Abiteboul came out in defense of the Briton at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.