Kubica to race at Wales Rally GB

Former Renault Formula One driver (and one of Top Gear magazine's Men of the Year 2012) Robert Kubica has confirmed he will race in the World Rally Championship next month.

Kubica will pilot a Citroen DS3 racer at the Wales Rally GB between 14-17 November, his first time competing at the top table of WRC since switching from F1 to rallying after that horrific accident in February 2011 which partially severed his forearm.

"This one-off outing for the works team is a great opportunity for me, but it's also a huge challenge," he said. "Wales Rally GB wasn't part of my original programme, so I'm very happy to be able to have this precious experience."

Kubica's entry into the Wales Rally GB marks a significant point in his recovery. Following the accident, he was originally discharged from hospital in April 2011, but wasn't ready to rejoin Formula One for the 2012 season.

He went rallying instead, honing his skills in the European Rally Championship. This year Kubica has taken four category wins from six rallies in WRC2 - he's currently leading the championship and will be aiming to claim overall victory at the Rally RACC Catalunya later this month, ahead of the top-tier WRC event in Wales in November.

"All of my life I was working for F1," Kubica told TopGear.com when we caught up with him earlier this year, "But it's a rally like this [Tour de Corse] that shows you as a driver that you can still be challenged by something else. It also means I am able to compete in a world class event and prove to myself that I am rehabilitating."

And how.