Kubica in demand for 2013

Formula One race winner Robert Kubica is wanted for duty in next year’s FIA World Rally Championship.

The Polish ace, whose grand prix career has been put on hold due to injury, is considering a switch to rallying and has entered several events of late while he returns to fitness following his crash in Italy in February 2011.

He came close to winning the French championship-counting Rallye du Var last week - the second of two events he was tackling in a Citroen Racing-supported C4 WRC - only to crash out on the penultimate stage while leading.

Citroen boss Yves Matton liked what he saw - despite Kubica’s car being destroyed by fire in the accident - and is keen to extend the relationship with Kubica.

“We are interested to do something more with Robert and it can be possible to do something with the DS3 WRC next season,” Matton told Autosport. “We run three cars some times, but this year we have run as many as five cars, so it would be possible for us to have a car for him to use. What we need to find is the budget, it’s sure that we cannot just give the car to him - but I think it is possible for him to find a partner.”

If Kubica, who tested a Ford Fiesta RS WRC in the summer, did join Citroen then he could link up with nine-time world champion Sebastien Loeb on occasion. Loeb is set to tackle up to five rounds in 2013 under his partial programme of events.