Poland's Robert Kubica is all set for a remarkable return to Formula 1 racing as he has been announced as a Williams F1 team driver for the upcoming 2009 season. 

The 33-year-old Polish driver has not taken part in a Formula One Grand Prix for eight-long years since a horrific rally crash that left him seriously injured. 

He will join Englishman George Russell in the British team on his comeback next year. 

Kubica has already competed in a series of practice sessions for Williams this year, and his appointment as one of the two main race drivers for the F1 team for next season was announced in Abu Dhabi, the circuit where he had his last race in 2010 before partially severing his right forearm in a near-fatal rally crash in Italy.

“I know what it took me to get here, and I know what it takes to be one of the top drivers in Formula One. So now the question is to work, to give me a bit of time, and to focus on what is the part that I enjoy more, which is being a race driver,” Kubica told the media. 

Deputy Team Principal of Williams, Claire Williams said: “For me, it was purely sporting, I said that going into this year, I needed to take some emotion out of my decision-making. We really need next year for us to be a new chapter in our history and I wanted a fresh start, and I wanted to make sure that out of the pool of talent that we were just purely selecting on talent.”

“So as everybody knows we went through quite a considerable evaluation process and Robert came out on top for that, and I think in George and Robert we have a really strong driver line-up for next year,” he added.

Meanwhile, current world champion Lewis Hamilton has wholeheartedly welcomed the news of Robert Kubica's Formula One return before eulogizing his former rival Fernando Alonso after he announced his retirement from Formula One. 

Alonso, 37, had earlier announced his exit in August this year.

“He was always one of the most talented drivers that I've had the pleasure of racing against, I know he's had a really difficult time in the last God knows how many years now and it's just great to see that he's got the opportunity back and I hope he works hard on his strength and getting his mind back into the gear it was in the past and I think it's exciting for the sport to see him back in action,” said Hamilton. 

Nevertheless, former world champions Williams will end the year on a disastrous note as they are languishing in last place due to a poor-handling of their car throughout the ongoing season.