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Ferrari: 'No chance for Kubica'

Ferrari doubts Robert Kubica will return from injury to F1 after months of being interested in signing him to race alongside Fernando Alonso.

NEW DELHI, India - Ferrari has cast doubt on Robert Kubica ever returning from injury to Formula 1 after recognising it had been interested in signing him to race alongside Fernando Alonso.

Kubica suffered a near-fatal crash during a rally before the start of the 2011 season and said in 2012 that he would "pay all the money I have to be back in the cockpit of a F1 car".

He was a race winner (with BMW-Sauber) and a contender with Renault and has raced a modified Citroen in the World Rally championship. He's also been on the Mercedes Formula 1 simulator.

'HE WOULD STRUGGLE'

However, he's struggled to regain the necessary movement in his wrist for single-seater racing; his forearm was almost severed in the rally crash.

Ferrari principal Stefano Domenicali told the team website on October 23: "Yes, we were keeping an eye on him. Unfortunately, I don't think he will be back because with his physical problem he would struggle in certain limited situations which require reactivity. It's a shame."

Domenicali, interviewed by two Italian fans during a meeting arranged by the newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport at the Ferrari factory, also spoke of Alonso's relationship with the team. Alonso, a double champion with Renault, has been critical of Ferrari's performance and was publicly reprimanded by Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo in July 2013

Domenicali, asked why Alonso was allowed to be so critical, replied: "If I have something to say to him, as would be the case with my engineers, I would do it behind closed doors and in a harsh manner. Externally, I will always defend the team.

"When he crossed the line, president Montezemolo intervened and, in private, so did I."

TEAM CHOICE

The team principal defended the use of team orders in favour of Alonso and the team's decision to retain Brazilian Felipe Massa for the 2013 season despite his dip in performance. Nevertheless, Massa will leave at the end of 2013 to make way for the team's returning 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen.

Domenicali said: "If Felipe were unable to deliver the performance we hoped for it was mainly down to a hyper-sensitivity to a car that was too nervous at the rear, but in 2008 he almost took the title and I consider him a champion.

"We took Raikkonen because we wanted more. He was not happy when we replaced him with Alonso so he returns with a great desire to do well."

Domenicali did not rule out Ferrari one day having an Italian driver in its line-up, despite a notable aversion to that over the years. Italy currently has no F1 drivers despite the national passion for the sport's most successful team. "We feel this responsibility, so we created the academy for youngsters. With Antonio Fuoco and Raffaele Marciello, in whom we are investing, this year we have won two championships.

"Will they drive a Ferrari one day? I hope so - but we need to find the right categories to get there."

Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 Indian GP weekend.
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