After returning to top-level racing last year by driving for Williams, Robert Kubica has signed for Alfa Romeo and would be joining them from January 1 as a reserve driver. He would be providing support to main drivers, Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi.

Kubica had a very uneventful last decade as his career took a hit in 2011 when he survived a crash at the Ronde di Andora Rally and his right hand was badly affected. A year later, a slip-on ice in Italy complicated the injury on his hand. Although he tried to get back into racing, he could not break into Formula One, until 2018, when Willams announced that he would be part of their team as a reserve driver.

Before the year came to an end, however, they announced that Kubica had been promoted and would compete in 2019 as the main driver, alongside George Russel. It was during that time that he picked his first Formula One point after coming in 10th in the German Grand Prix. He also finished 19th place in the overall drivers’ standings for 2019.

Joining Alfa Romeo seems like a return because they were the first team he joined back in 2006 when they were known as BMW Sabeur, starting as a reserve driver, before being promoted to the main driver, being the first Polish Formula One driver. In 2008, he won his first Grand Prix at the Canadian Grand Prix, also being the first Pole to do so. By 2010, he moved to Renault, where he remained till his accident the next year.

His decision to join Alfa Romeo came in September 2019, after announcing that he would leave the team by the end of the season. But he is not the only new person to join Alfa Romeo as PKN Orlen has agreed to be a sponsor of the team for an agreed number of years. This means that the name of the team would be rebranded to Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN. Kubica expressed his joy at joining the Swiss team, taking note of the fact that he had been there before and was pleased to be back.

Written by: Leon Osamor