Formula 1 safety has come a long way over the last 30 years, with the number of injuries in cars significantly reduced.
The Canadian Grand Prix is a circuit which has often hosted multiple scary incidents, from Alex Wurz’s 1997 roll at the start to Felipe Massa and Sergio Perez’s final lap coming together in 2014.
Another driver who was involved in a big crash was BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica, who spectacularly crashed into a wall at high speed in 2007.
Sadly, his thriving Formula 1 career was disrupted by a devastating incident at the 2011 Rally de Andorra, halting his single-seater efforts for nearly six years.
At the time, he had hopes of achieving a maiden drivers’ championship and was one of the most promising prospects in the sport.
A contract with Ferrari never materialised as he focused his efforts on recovery, and Renault replaced him with Nick Heidfeld for the 2011 campaign.
Doctors called Robert Kubica’s recovery from 2007 Canadian Grand Prix crash ‘impossible’
Lewis Hamilton called Kubica one of his most talented competitors and grew up battling him for various trophies.
He was well-respected among colleagues too, with current Haas boss Ayao Komatsu saying Kubica should’ve been a Formula 1 world champion.
At the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, he suffered one of the biggest crashes in recent Formula 1 history and was forced to sit out of the following race at Indianapolis.
READ MORE: F1 expert gutted ‘very talented’ driver Lewis Hamilton loved never reached his potential
It paved the way for Sebastian Vettel’s debut, while Kubica had already surprised doctors with his rate of recovery just one day after the incident.
“In the end I came out, I don’t say unworthy, but the next day I was out of the hospital,” he said.
“In fact, I had less pain than maybe after some winter test that [it had been] a long time since you got in the car which is a strange thing.
“Even there, when I arrived at the hospital, the head doctor asked me how I was and I said I have nothing. I have a little pain in my ankle. Very likely they looked at each other and said but this one in shock who says ‘impossible.’”
How Robert Kubica nearly raced alongside Fernando Alonso at Ferrari in F1
Before his rally accident, Kubica had signed a pre-contract agreement with Ferrari to race for them in 2012.
Replacing Felipe Massa would have meant partnering the formidable two-time champion Fernando Alonso at the team.
Kubica believes beating Alonso at Ferrari wouldn’t have been difficult and backed himself to overcome the Spaniard in equal machinery.
READ MORE: 39-year-old driver admits he didn’t expect 2022 test to be last time he drove F1 car
After returning to the sport in 2019, scoring Williams’ only point at the German Grand Prix that season, he failed to recapture his old form.
Kubica is one of the great ‘what could have been’ stories, and undoubtedly would have been a stiff challenge for Alonso back in 2012.
Leave feedback about this