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Poland, a former eastern-bloc state with little motorsport tradition, is not renowned for producing famous drivers. And yet, aged just four, a young Robert Kubica was already showing leanings towards his future vocation, persuading his parents to buy him his first car - a miniature petrol off-roader that he spotted in a local dealership.
Soon tiring of racing round bottles in his front yard, Kubica graduated to the karting track. Making the trip to the nearest circuit 150 kilometres away, he found he was still too young to compete and so bided his time, practicing until he reached the necessary ten years of age. After that he quickly came to dominate the Polish series.
The experience of watching his first Grand Prix at the Hungaroring in 1997 was something of an epiphany for the young Kubica and, having already won six domestic karting titles, he decided to head to Italy to test his skills on more challenging foreign soil.
He was promptly signed up by a competitive factory team and in 1998 became the first non-Italian to win the Italian championship. Shoring up his growing reputation with second place in the European series and victory in the prestigious Monaco Kart Cup, Kubica’s winning run remained unchecked. He retained the Italian crown in 1999, adding the German title and the Elf Masters to boot. His karting career culminated with fourth place in the 2001 world championship.
Staying in Italy, he graduated to Formula Renault in 2001. After a slow start, his second season brought four victories and second place overall, by which time he had been contracted to Flavio Briatore and the Renault Formula One team. For 2003 he stepped up to the Formula 3 Euro series and won his debut race at the Norisring. Twelfth in the standings that year and seventh the next, he also made his mark in Macau, finishing second and setting the fastest lap in the 2004 Grand Prix. Then came his most crucial career move.
Signing to race for Spanish team Epsilon Euskadi in the 2005 Renault World Series, Kubica clinched four victories, 11 podiums and three pole positions before being declared champion with three races to run. His reward was a Renault Formula One test in December at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. Finishing his debut session a respectable 11th fastest, Kubica impressed rival team BMW Sauber so much that, just weeks later, they offered him a contract as third driver for 2006.
Kubica more than lived up to his early promise and his name became a regular feature at the top of the timesheets, both in testing and Friday practice session. Well aware of his potential, BMW didn’t hesitate in substituting him for Jacques Villeneuve when the former champion pulled out, first of the Hungarian Grand Prix and then from the team completely. The risk paid off - not only did Kubica become Poland’s first Formula One racer, he would have scored on his debut, had a technical infringement on the car not robbed him of seventh place.
He didn’t have to wait long for recompense. Just two races later, a fantastic performance in Italy saw Kubica claim his first podium. From six Grands Prix in 2006 he claimed six points - just one less than Villeneuve had managed from the previous 12. No surprise then that he was retained for 2007 - when he kept veteran team mate Nick Heidfeld honest to finish sixth in the standings - and 2008, when he really began to blossom.
He quickly established himself as a title contender, overshadowing the experienced Heidfeld by taking his - and BMW Sauber’s - maiden win at the Canadian Grand Prix, as well as a further six podiums. Only a drop in the team’s form late in the season scuppered his chances, but he remains the ‘next big thing’ in the eyes of many.
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