Robert Kubica is one of the most remarkable Formula 1 drivers of all time and is one of the great ‘what if’ stories in the sport’s history.
The Polish driver competed in 99 races between 2006 and 2021, when he finally pulled the curtain over his single-seater career.
Since then, he has raced for Ferrari in the World Endurance Championship, but his name will forever be remembered in Formula 1 for numerous reasons.
Kubica suffered one of the biggest shunts of the modern era at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, which ended up leading to the debut of four-time champion Sebastian Vettel at BMW Sauber.
After stepping away from the paddock, Kubica ‘hates’ what people say since leaving F1. A lot of young drivers are compared to him, since he burst onto the scene so impressively.
Hamilton loved Kubica but never reached his potential due to a horrific rallying crash in 2011. It would set him back and deny him the opportunity to race alongside Fernando Alonso at Ferrari for 2012.

Robert Kubica once made a remarkable claim about Canadian Grand Prix crash
Kubica’s 2007 crash was a jaw-dropper for many fans, with his car seen violently spearing into a wall before coming to a rest on its side.
His ankles were visible from the front of the car, and doctors called Kubica’s recovery ‘impossible’ as he faced very little pain in the aftermath.
It’s part of his remarkable claim that the emergency team had nothing to do after he only had a little ankle pain after the mega shunt in Montreal.
“As soon as the car came to a standstill, I checked that I could move my limbs and straight away I knew I was okay,” he told Motorsport Magazine. “In fact, most of the emergency team that came to my rescue were standing around with nothing to do.
“I had some pain in my ankle, which lasted for three or four days, because the impact was basically channelled through that foot, as I’m tall for this sport [6ft] and my body fills the cockpit so much.”
READ MORE: Robert Kubica recalls the ‘really absurd’ circumstances of his first ever Formula 1 test
When did Robert Kubica return to Formula 1 action after his Canadian Grand Prix crash?
Although Kubica felt fine to participate in the next race at Indianapolis, he was sidelined as a precaution.
When he returned at the French Grand Prix, he finished fourth, and backed that up with an identical finish at the following British Grand Prix.
He would finish ninth or higher in all but one race for the rest of the season (retired in China) and finished sixth in the drivers’ championship.
Next year, in 2008, when he returned to Canada, he would have the perfect reply, winning his first Formula 1 race in style by also claiming the championship lead at the same time.
Sadly, the fairytale ending of a first crown wouldn’t happen, but he did muster a fourth-place finish in the standings – his career-best result.
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