▁but ▁would ▁ret ire ▁during ▁the ▁safety ▁car ▁period ▁after ▁losing ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁rear ▁ty res . ▁ ▁Formula ▁One ▁journalist ▁Mark ▁Hugh es ▁remarked ▁that ▁Kub ica ▁was ▁currently ▁" arg u ably ▁the ▁best ▁driver ", ▁considering ▁the ▁season ▁so ▁far . ▁He ▁emphas ised ▁Kub ica ' s ▁strong ▁showing ▁in ▁tracks ▁where ▁Hugh es ▁believed ▁that ▁the ▁differences ▁in ▁driver ▁skills ▁are ▁able ▁to ▁over wh elm ▁the ▁differences ▁in ▁the ▁cap ability ▁of ▁the ▁cars ; ▁namely , ▁Mon aco , ▁Sp a ▁and ▁Su zu ka . ▁Kub ica ▁managed ▁to ▁finish ▁on ▁the ▁pod ium ▁behind ▁the ▁Red ▁Bull s ▁except ▁in ▁Su zu ka ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁strong ▁throughout ▁the ▁week end ▁never theless , ▁despite ▁ret iring ▁from ▁the ▁race ▁through ▁no ▁fault ▁of ▁his ▁own . ▁▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁season : ▁near - f atal ▁crash ▁ends ▁year ▁ ▁Kub ica ▁was ▁retained ▁by ▁Ren ault ▁– ▁re brand ed ▁as ▁Lot us ▁Ren ault ▁GP ▁through ▁Lot us ▁C ars ▁spons or ship ▁– ▁into ▁the ▁ ▁season , ▁again ▁partner ed ▁with ▁Pet rov . ▁He ▁tested ▁the ▁team ' s ▁new ▁car , ▁the ▁Ren ault ▁R 3 1 , ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁Val encia ▁on ▁ 2 ▁February . ▁On ▁the ▁last ▁day ▁of ▁testing ▁in ▁Val encia ▁he ▁set ▁the ▁fast est ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁session . ▁ ▁On ▁ 6 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Kub ica ▁was ▁injured ▁in