csconstantine.com

{ GENOA, Italy (AP) — Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland was injured Sunday in a rally car accident in Italy just weeks before the start of the new Grand Prix season, his Lotus Renault team said.Local health authority officials in Italy said Kubica's life was not in danger, and that the worst damage appeared to be to his limbs.

"Certainly it is a very delicate situation, as the first hours always are after a huge trauma, one in which there could also have been a strong bleeding," Roberto Carrozzino, a local health authority official, told Sky Italia.

The ANSA news agency reported that an operation on the 26-year-old driver began just before 1300 GMT after professor Igor Rossello, a hand specialist, was called to the hospital.

Kubica, eighth in last year's F1 world championship, now looks unlikely to race at Bahrain on March 13.

His team said in a statement that Kubica "suffered an accident at high speed this morning while competing in the Ronde di Andora Rally" and was "airlifted to Pietra Ligure Hospital, where he is currently undergoing medical checks."

Carrozzino said the driver underwent an examination to assess any possible damage to internal organs and the brain. Asked about a report that one his arms would be amputated, Carrozzino said that "all assessments have yet to be made."

"An amputation is not a decision that is made so rapidly," he said. "I do not confirm or deny this report."

Kubica arrived at the Santa Corona hospital in Pietra Ligure, a small coastal town about 35 miles (60 kilometers) southwest of Genoa, about two hours after the accident because it was difficult to extract him, Carrozzino said.

ANSA said fractures of one of Kubica's hands appeared particularly serious. French sports channel Eurosport reported that Kubica may have a fractured hip and multiple other injuries, including possibly a fracture to his arm or wrist.

There was no immediate comment from the hospital, though they said there would be an update on Kubica's condition later in the day.

ANSA said the driver was 4.6-kilometers from the start of the rally, near Genoa, when his car left the road and hit a wall. His co-driver Jakub Gerber was unhurt, the Lotus Renault team said.

Kubica was due to lead the Lotus Renault F1 team this season alongside Vitaly Petrov of Russia, with former HRT driver Bruno Senna named as a third driver. Romain Grosjean, who drove for Renault in 2009, was also named third driver alongside Senna.

It was not immediately known whether Senna or Grosjean would take Kubica's place in Bahrain should he fail to recover.

Last week, Kubica closed Formula One's first test session of the season with the fastest time over three days in Valencia, Spain.

The next F1 test session is Feb. 10-13 in Jerez, Spain.

___

AP Sports Writer Jerome Pugmire in Paris and Associated Press Writer Alessandra Rizzo in Rome contributed to this report.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.To report corrections and clarifications, contact Reader Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification.Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more.


Agences de presses

Labels: crash, injured, Kubica, Renaultaposs, Robert, Today