Renault: Emotion cannot dictate F1 return for Robert Kubica

Kubica tested a 2012 E20 at Valencia in June, his first F1 run since severely injuring his right hand and arm in a rally accident in February 2011.

His performance led to Renault confirming a second test at Paul Ricard, which is believed to have taken place on Wednesday this week.

Kubica talked up his chances of racing in F1 again when he appeared at the Goodwood Festival of Speed at the start of July, rating them at "80% or 90%".

"That's typically where we need to be careful," said Abiteboul during last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix weekend.

"He's a guy who has character and emotion, but in that particular circumstance we need to put the emotion on one side - we would all love to see it happening - and take a very pragmatic approach about the situation.

"That's our responsibility."

Kubica is yet to drive a modern turbo-hybrid F1 car, either in previous aerodynamic specification or the 2017 higher-downforce trim.

Asked if Kubica might do the post-Hungarian Grand Prix test in the current RS17, Abiteboul said: "No speculation about further tests at this time."

Speaking before the test at Paul Ricard, Abitbeoul admitted Renault could not "hide" its involvement with Kubica but said it was taking things "step by step".

"We want to be clear about the fact that he is testing, with a purpose which is to go further in his assessment of what he can and can't do," he said.

"It's not necessarily that if the test is positive, that he will be driving for Renault next year.

"Things are bit more complex than that.

"As always, we're really going step-by-step, with lots of care, trying as much as possible to leave the emotion on one side, to have also some physiotherapy that is involved, some medical checks that are involved, just to make sure that everything is OK.

"And who knows, if the test is positive, and the next steps are positive, maybe he could end up in an F1 car."

KUBICA 'STILL CAPABLE' OF STARRING

Renault development driver Sergey Sirotkin was also present at the initial Valencia test and drove the E20, on different days.

The Russian told Autosport that Kubica "managed to look very much competitive" and "is still capable of producing those moments he produced" in F1.

It was reported after test that Kubica had set the better laptime of the two and Sirotkin admitted there was truth to those reports.

"If we're talking pure laptime, what was written was partially true," he said.

"We worked on different programmes, at different times at the track.

"In no way diminishing his huge achievement, the conditions on track were not in my favour.

"We didn't have a goal to compare anything and were both doing our own separate jobs."