Kubica 'stable but serious' posted in F107 | 02 | 2011
ROBERT KUBICA is today expected to be woken from the induced coma he was put into last night as doctors battle to save the functions of his right hand. It's expected the Pole could well be sidelined for the whole of the 2011 Formula One season.
There were fears the hand may have had to be amputated, but doctors managed to reattach the blood supply during a lengthy operation and are hoping the repair will be successful.
The Renault Formula One driver was seriously injured when he lost control of his S2000 Skoda Fabia rally car just a few kilometres into the opening stage of the Ronde di Andora rally in Italy yesterday.
It's understood the injuries were caused by a length of crash barrier penetrating the cockpit of his Skoda Fabia and striking him. Miraculously his co-driver Jakub Gerber emerged from the crash unhurt. Kubica's right hand already has metal plates inserted in it following a Formula 3 crash in 2003.
Kubica underwent a seven-hour operation throughout yesterday afternoon at the Santa Corona Hospital in Pietra Ligure to try and save the use of his right hand - and he is said to be in a 'stable but serious' condition.
In addition to his hand injury, Kubica was left with multiple fractures to his right arm and leg, plus severe cuts to his forearm
Renault team-mate Vitaly Petrov and his boss Eric Boullier are scheduled to visit the hospital today to get an update on Kubica's conditions.
"The news of Robert's accident came as a real shock to the whole team," Boullier said. "All of us, at Lotus Renault GP, wish him a quick recovery. We have been really impressed with the way the doctors looked after him and we would like to thank the whole team of the Santa Corona Hospital for their professional approach and dedication.
"I will be travelling to Italy, along with Vitaly Petrov, in order to see Robert and tell him that we are impatiently waiting for his return."
And Boullier defended the decision to let Kubica keep rallying during the vital build-up period to the new F1 season, even though that decision now appears to have left his team without its lead driver for the year ahead.
"Robert is a person we love dearly: we are extremely sad and obviously shocked," he said. "Whether it's a Lotus, a Renault or a Skoda it doesn't make any difference: it's nothing to do with business.
"We've let him do it because rallying is what he loves to do. Rallying is vital for Robert and for his sanity. Besides that, there is a reciprocal agreement. We knew the risks and so did he. We didn't want a robot or a corporate man for a driver."
Professor Mario Igor Rossello, the hand specialist who worked on Kubica, said he was encouraged by how the operation had gone but admitted it was too early to say how well the driver would recover.
"It has been a very important and difficult operation," he said. "Robert Kubica's right forearm was cut in two places, with significant lesions to the bones and the tendons. We did our best to rebuild the functions of the forearm.
"It took seven doctors, split into two teams and a total of seven hours to complete the operation. One team was the emergency task force from the hospital of San Paolo (Savona) that is normally appointed to treat this sort of injury, while the other team came from the orthopaedic department of the Santa Corona Hospital (Pietra Ligure).
"At the end of the operation, Robert's hand was well vascularised and warm, which is encouraging. Following the surgery, Robert Kubica will remain under permanent monitoring overnight because his condition remains serious."
Doctor Igor Rossello, who is a hand specialist, told local media on Sunday night that it would take several days for doctors to assess the success of the operation - and warned that Kubica could need up to one year to recover.
"We need to wait for a week at least to verify whether the hand survives," Dr Rossello was quoted as saying by Italian media. "The nerve lesions are the ones that leave us with the most question marks over the recovery of functions.
"Rehabilitation will be relatively long, probably one year. He came here with multiple traumas, with several associated injuries. He won't necessarily have to undergo further surgery on the hand, but he will if needed."
Dr Rossello said that he expected it would take at least 12 months before Kubica would be able to drive an F1 car again, although he admitted racing drivers often recovered from injury far quicker than predicted.
When asked what the best prediction for Kubica to be back racing, he said: "One year is the best provision.
"I think it is quite difficult now, but you never know. Drivers are always very special patients. I have a lot of motorbike patients and they heal in a much faster way - faster than normal people."
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Jim McGill