http://www.planetf1.com/driver/18227/6885574/Kubica-set-to-leave-hospital
On the one hand (no pun intended) we have a situation similiar to Nannini and on the other hand people said Lauda would never be competitive again after his incident and he went onto win 2 more WDCs. I don't want to write him off but I don't fancy his chances either particularly as this was a Nannini-type injury.
RK is making stupendous progress yet the true test will be his therapy and how well he progress's and the percentage of use he can regain in his arm and leg.
Of anyone on the grid, I give Kubica a better shot at getting back in the car and being competitive than anyone else. To me, his demeanor says he'll do what he has to in order to come back and I sure hope he proves me right as I'd hate to see his career ruined by such a freak accident. Mark
Once Lauda was off life support it was a question of will power to get back in the car. I'm sure if that was the only problem Kubica is facing, he'd be back in a F1 in no time. However I think his case is much more related to Nannini, where the mind is perfectly fine, but the plain mechanics of the arm/wrist/hand have been damaged to the point that they'll never be able again to deal with the g-loads of a F1 car while maintaining a light feedback grip on the wheel. As I said early on when the story broke: He'll be lucky to lead a normal life going forward.
Yeah, as hard as it is to say, the realist in me says a "nearly-severed" hand will be a very challenging injury to overcome for an F1 driver. That's a lot of muscle and tendons that were cut, and the hand is the most intricate part in the body. We shall see.
Even if his hand was severed..... a related story: http://channels.isp.netscape.com/whatsnew/default.jsp?story=20110421-1027 JD
Kubica spoke to fans through interview. http://www.f1sa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=28659:f1-injured-lotus-renault-formula-1-racer-robert-kubica-talks-to-his-fans&catid=1:f1&Itemid=157
Positive news. That they aren't ruling it out entirely seems to indicate that the tissue loss was not, in and of itself, a deciding factor. That's one thing that determination and effort can't fix. Godspeed Robert.
They never excluded the possibility but I think that has got more to do with doctors rarely taking a decisive stand on something and also they don't want discourage him on his long way back. Again I think it all comes down to a) how mechanically strong is his hand and b) how sensitive will it be to "read" the steering wheel. The report mentions that he can't feel everything (nerve damage) and that by itself is reason enough for concern. F1 drivers need the hands of a jeweler with the strength of a wrestler.
Yup. During recovery a positive mental attitude is very important. Sometimes it is indistinguishable from denial though. Its too early and we're too far removed to know but the signs are somewhat hopeful.
If anyone remembers how dominant Mick Doohan was in 500GP motorcycle racing, he endured some horrific injuries but what finally ended his career was nerve damage in his arm from a crash in early 1999. The bone and tissue healed but he didn't have the strength and feel to ride at the same level again. Kubica's injury seems much worse than a badly broken arm.
I read a bit about this the other day. He answered several questions submitted by fans. It is reported that Robert is now walking without assistance but his arm remains basically immobile in a sling type contraption. I have no idea what his hand capabilities are but it sounds like he is progressing fairly well. IIRC, he also said he has no memory of the accident itself. Thank goodness for that
