Kubica's manager: Brazil return possible

Morelli says Kubica's recovery is going well, and admits his right hand is still the main concern, with his right leg not a real problem anymore.

Morelli insisted it is not impossible that Kubica returns to racing this year.

"Recovery is progressing positively," Morelli told Gazzetta dello Sport. "The right leg is fine: if that was the problem, then Robert would practically be ready. No, that's not our worry.

"The Italian GP is held in September, so it's in just three months' time, but we can think about the final race of the season.

"In any case, when Robert gets in the simulator, he'll immediately understand whether he's able to come back, how and when, without the need of a stop-watch."

Polish website Fakt.pl published on Monday the first photos of Kubica after his accident, the Pole walking with a crutch and with a forearm guard and brace on his injured hand.

Gazzetta dello Sport reports the Pole will undergo a final surgery of his arm today in Genoa, where he spends three days a week with Dr. Igor Rossello working on the recovery of the arm.

He also spends a further day of the week at Formula Medicine in Viareggio with Dr. Riccardo Ceccarelli for recovery of the leg.

His Renault team, meanwhile, said it will hold fire on making any moves on its 2012 driver line-up until Kubica has given the outfit a decision later this summer on whether he believes he will be fit enough to race.

With the team obviously aware that it may need to find a replacement for Kubica if he does not return in 2012, yet not definitely having a spare place on board if the Pole does return, chiefs face a dilemma in deciding where their priority is.

However, Renault team principal Eric Boullier says that the outfit will sit back and wait for Kubica to make the first move before contemplating who will be slotted in alongside Vitaly Petrov, who has a firm contract for next year.

"Robert is the key to this," explained Boullier. "We obviously are 100% committed behind Robert, and I have offered to put in place all the rehabilitation on the racing side for him to be comfortable before making the decision.

"We are now having discussions with his management to see how we can do it. There is not always the same concern for everybody, but I would like to wait to see Robert's decision to see if he is back or not, and then work out if we go to a different plan or not."

He added: "I have been told he will be starting his full rehabilitation in August, which is late. But we have to make a decision around then."

Although Nick Heidfeld has scored a podium finish for Renault since being drafted in as Kubica's replacement, the German has struggled for consistency this year.

However, he showed better form in Canada last weekend before getting involved in a collision with Kamui Kobayashi that damaged his front wing.

Additional reporting by Michele Lostia