Renault have defended the decision of Robert Kubica to drive in a rally just a month before the commencement of the 2011 F1 season.
The Polish driver needed seven hours of surgery on Sunday after a high-speed crash into a wall that left his right hand partially severed, along with arm and leg injuries.
There had initially been fears that surgeons would have to amputate his hand, but those fears subsided, however he is expected to miss the entire 2011 season, which gets underway in Bahrain in March.
His F1 team, however, have supported his partaking in the Ronda di Andora rally in Italy, with team boss Eric Boullier quoted by the Italian news agency Ansa as saying: "Rallying is what he loves to do.
"We knew the risks and so did he. We didn't want a robot or a corporate man for a driver. It was agreed together."
Kubica was the fastest on track in last Thursday’s final day of testing on Valencia and Professor Igor Rossello, director of the Regional Centre of Hand Surgery at San Paolo Hospital in Savona, believes he can make a full recovery and get behind the wheel again, albeit he warns there will be no quick fix.
"We will see in the next few days what will happen," Rossello told Reuters reporters.
"The danger is that, in five or seven days, we could have vascular problems, and he could have to have surgery again to resolve the problems. However, at the end of the operation, Robert's hand was well vascularised and warm, which is encouraging. I expect him to recover enough functionality to resume his activity.
"One year is the best provision (for recovery, but) drivers are always very special patients. I have a lot of motorbike patients and they heal in the fastest way possible, much faster than normal people."