Robert Kubica says he can drive a F1 car 'without limitations'

Kubica severely injured his right hand and arm in a rally accident in February 2011, with a day at Valencia earlier this month his return to an F1 cockpit.

Renault's Alan Permane said Kubica showed the pace required to be in F1 aboard the team's 2012 E20, (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/130147) and the 32-year-old insisted he is fitter than during his four-and-a-half year F1 career.

"I had been working a lot on my physical condition," Kubica told Poland's Eleven Sports.

"I have never been so fit, even in my 'golden years' when I was still competing in F1.

"For example, for the first time in my life my body weight is lower than in 2008.

"It turned out that [driving an F1 car] is not as scary and remote as it seemed to be.

"I can even admit that an F1 car was one of the easiest machines to drive with my limitations after my accident.

"Now I can sleep better because I know that I can drive a Formula 1 car without any limitations, I can drive quickly and consistently."

Kubica says he was in "shock" after the very first laps because of how comfortable he was driving an F1 car again.

"One of the best moments was returning to the pits after my first run when I realised that everything was under control and nothing had changed," he said.

"After the first three laps it seemed that the break had not lasted more than a month.

"It was a shock as I had a lot of question marks after so many years [out of action].

"I felt very confident in the cockpit. I felt at home."

NO POINT 'GETTING OVEREXCITED'

Having stated after the test that he was now targeting a "proper comeback", Kubica has stressed it was important not to get carried away.

While he has also tested GP3 and Formula E machinery in recent months, Kubica is without a race programme after splitting with the ByKolles privateer LMP1 team before the World Endurance Championship opener.

"I know that the imaginations and expectations of fans and motorsport people were boosted after this test but there is no point in getting overexcited," he said.

"Time will tell. A lot has happened in my life over the past six years, a lot has changed in me.

"I will work to achieve the goal I set for myself and to achieve what I think is within my reach.

"It is too early to say what it is and whether it will happen. I will prepare myself for the highest goals.

"I think that two years ago people gave me quite slim chances to return to driving a Formula 1 car but I came back and did it, I think, in style."