Respected F1 journalist Roebuck recalls Kubica’s maiden ERC win

Kubica started the closing 25.00-kilometre stage trailing Václav Pech by 11.8s. But a stunning performance, coupled with an inspired tyre choice, enabled him to power to victory by 19.9s having outpaced his Czech rival by 23.0s through the mud and rain-hit test.

Roebuck wrote: “At Indy in 2014 Dario Franchitti asked me if I'd seen the in-car footage of Kubica on the Jännerrallye, and I said no. He rolled his eyes: "You just won't believe it..." I watched it on YouTube, and didn't.

“By any standards, Kubica was always considered brave, but this footage is even more startling than Sébastien Loeb ascending Pikes Peak. For one thing, it's raining; for another, it's at night - and on top of that his M-Sport Ford Fiesta has lighting problems, one lamp flopping around uselessly, occasionally blinding him. All this at up to 130mph.

“Kubica won this round of the European Rally Championship, and what makes it the more remarkable is that he took the lead on this, the 18th and final special stage."

Roebuck’s column is available via subscription at thislinkwhere Eurosport’s spectacular onboard camera footage can also be viewed.