Robert Kubica left Valencia yesterday with a bitter-sweet feeling after driving an F1 car for the first time since he was sidelined by a rally accident in 2011.
The former Grand Prix driver was offered a private test by Renault, supplying a 2012-spec Lotus E20 to help the Pole assess his ability behind the wheel of an F1 car.
There was no holding back as Kubica ran 115 laps unabated around Valencia, gauging his ability and endurance.
"I would like to thank everybody for making this possible, I hope it was a good day for everyone and maybe they saw something of my old, 2010 self," Kubica said.
"For me, it has been an important day from an emotional point of view. It has been a long time away from the paddock and I have been through difficult periods, I kept working hard and a few years ago I felt it was impossible.
"I have mixed feelings, I am proud with what I achieved today, but also it shows what I have lost. I don’t know what the future will bring, but I know one thing, after working for more than one year to prepare for this, I ran with good pace and consistent in difficult conditions.
"It is not easy after six years, but I knew I could do the job and I can be satisfied. I appreciate the opportunity. Renault gave me my first F1 test in 2005, so I appreciate another test this time around."
Renault Sport F1's trackside operations director Alan Permane offered some insight into Kubica's day of running and his performance.
"It was good to see Robert back in a Formula 1 car," said the Brit.
"It was a smooth day. We tried to condense a Grand Prix weekend into one day, which was interesting for him.
"Robert has changed a little, he is more mellow and he wasn’t as pushy when asking for every detail about the set-up of the car!
"His comments and feedback, however, were like turning the clock back for all of us. It is a tricky thing to jump into an F1 car after six years and it was a great performance from him. This was a one-off event for Robert.
"His time with Renault was cut short so abruptly and we perceived such a nice future with him. The team was in Valencia testing with Sergey Sirotkin, so it was the perfect opportunity to offer Robert a day in the car and contribute in our way to his recovery."
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