Kubica's comeback 'on' after Williams confirm test

Williams Racing has confirmed that Robert Kubica will be given the opportunity to test drive for them in Abu Dhabi after the final Grand Prix of the season, seven years after an accident looked to have ended his F1 career before it had even begun.

Kubica suffered severe injuries to his right hand, arm and leg following a rally crash that occurred in between tests in F1, and many felt Kubica would be unable to get behind the wheel of an F1 car ever again.

However, rumours that Williams would give him the chance have rumbled for weeks, and finally the team revealed that the Pole will be given the morning session of day one and the lat afternoon session of day two as part of the final testing of the season, taking place next Tuesday and Wednesday.

Russian Sergey Sirotkin, as well as current Williams driver Lance Stroll, will take the car out for the remaining sessions, with the key focus of the test, Williams confirmed, on “evaluating 2018 candidate tyres on behalf of the Formula 1 tyre supplier, Pirelli.”

A Williams statement continued: “Williams is excited to have this opportunity to assess the new tyres across such an interesting range of drivers. Lance, as confirmed as a race driver for 2018, Robert with his huge experience and Sergey as a very promising young talent in Formula 1.”

Williams, who has also given Paul Di Resta some test time this season alongside Kubica after the Hungarian Grand Prix, want to assess the latter once more before making a decision on offering him a deal. But not everyone is happy about the situation.

Juan Pablo Montoya called any potential return for Kubica as 'a joke', while the outspoken Jacques Villeneuve has been unequivocal in his belief that the driver is undeserving of this opportunity.

"If he didn't have his problem, he wouldn't get a second chance."

"That's what shocks me! It's just a public relations thing, and it bothers me because there are many other drivers more worthy but who wouldn't get a second chance. That's hard to bear.

"It's great for him however, he's lucky."