A Former Formula 1 Grand Prix winner with 57 career starts to his name, in 2009, Krakow, Poland’s Robert Kubica drove a BMW P86/9-powered F1.09 for the BMW Sauber works Formula 1 team. Recently, however, Kubica (who will drive for Renault in the 2010 Formula 1 Series) decided to strap himself into a rally car and compete in the Sicilian Taormina-Messina rally this past weekend.

An unabashed rally fan – just like F1 comrade Kimi Raikkonen - the Pole recently threw his own hard earned money down on a WRC-prepared Skoda Fabia car. Unfortunately, things did not go to plan for Kubica in the Sicilian Taormina-Messina rally as he and his DP Motorsports Renault Clio RC clouted a wall while leading the way in the R3C classification.

“Yesterday I did not attack, I was trying to learn about driving the car – today is a longer challenge. The only unknowns are the pace notes, I hope to get used to driving in this way. I must learn to listen,” Kubica told WRC.com after the first day of competition.

Before heavy testing with Renault begins, Kubica has vowed to attempt another rally announcing that he plans to line up in the French championship Rallye de Var later this month.

While only about to begin the fifth year of his Formula 1 career, Kubica has already gone on record in saying that he plans to become a world class rally driver upon retiring from F1. Stay tuned.

Eric Johnson