Rescue workers carry Formula One driver Kubica of Poland following an accident in a rally car during a minor rally near Genoa.
Rescue workers carry Formula One driver Kubica of Poland following an accident in a rally car during a minor rally near Genoa. Reuters

Formula One racing team Lotus Renault's driver, Robert Kubica, has been released from intensive care following an accident in the Ronde di Andora rally Italy on Sunday.

After undergoing two operations, one of which lasted seven hours, on his partially severed right hand and multiple fractures in his arm and leg, Kubica has been moved from intensive care after close monitoring, and will undergo two more surgeries on Friday.

Dr Giorgio Barabino of the Santa Coroa di Pietra Ligure, where Kubica is admitted, said, His general condition is good, so much so we can program two operations on Friday. Next week we expect to perform the last operation on the patient.

Barely 3 miles into the Ronde di Andora rally in Italy on Sunday, Kubica's Skoda Fabia collided into a church wall and the crash barrier pierced into the car and entered the cockpit, partially severing his right hand as well as dealing fractures to his right arm and leg. The 26-year-old Pole was in critical condition and underwent a seven-hour surgery to save his right hand. He was lying in a medically-induced coma to cope with the pain.

However, there is still hope of Kubica playing some part in Formula One 2011 season after Renault team Principal Eric Boullier told BBC Sport that it would be too quick to suggest Kubica would be out for the whole season.

All I know for now is that for the next three months for sure he won't be back. After that, it could be four, five, six, said Boullier. He needs at least three months to recover physically, and then we see.

He is recovering well. It is going fast actually, because he is a sportsman, so it is much faster than it would be with anyone else. He started to feed himself today, and everything is moving. Now is the time for sticking all the bones together and educating the muscles, but we don't know how long that will take.

Elsewhere, Red Bull's Mark Webber sent his best to Kubica. It was a big shock for all of us, I couldn't believe it, said the Australian. I'm happy, as it looks like the people involved have done an incredible job for him after the accident to keep him in the best shape possible.

It's a big loss for our sport that he's not here this year and a big loss for us as competitors, as we're motivated to race against the best guys in the world and Robert is one of them. I wish him all the best for his recovery, every day he'll make progress and I'm looking forward to having him back when he is ready.