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Robert Kubica will step up his motorsport return by driving one of Citroen's multiple World Rally title-winning C4 WRCs on two national events later this month.

The Pole had to pause his career after sustaining horrific injuries in a rallying crash in Italy in February 2011.

But after a long rehabilitation, he began testing rally cars before competing on - and winning - two domestic events in Italy earlier this year.

Citroen will now provide him with one of its C4s, the predecessor to the current DS3 WRC, for the Rally di Como in Italy on 15-17 November and France's Rallye du Var a week later.

"I can't wait to drive a car that is as quick and has been as successful as the C4 WRC," said Kubica.

"Rallying is one of my favourite forms of motorsport.

"After completing a test session so that I can get used to the car, competing in the Rally di Como will above all be an opportunity to get to a feel for the car and learn more about driving it in racing conditions.

"The objective will be different for the Rallye du Var. This will be the third time I have taken part, so it's a rally with which I am already familiar and where I feel comfortable."

AUTOSPORT SAYS

Rallies editor David Evans

Interesting Citroen entries on Rallye du Var are nothing new.

In 2008, a married couple from Alsace humbled a handful of World Rally Cars by placing an admittedly well-run Super 1600 car in third overall: Mr and Mrs Loeb in a Citroen C2 S1600.

Clearly feeling their mantlepiece was missing some silverware, Sebastien and Severine went one better 12 months later with victory in a C4 WRC.

And the star C4 on this month's Rallye du Var will be just as closely watched as Robert Kubica enters the highest profile of phase of his recovery/continuation of his burgeoning rally career.

The super-talented Pole talks of doing Rally di Como the week before Var to get a feel for the world's most successful World Rally Car. Those who know him smile at such a suggestion; feel has never been a problem for one with such natural talent.

Como should be a straightforward success, but the Alps will challenge Kubica. The C4 comes complete with hydraulically assisted, flick-of-a-finger gearshifts, which will make dealing with his weakened right hand much more straightforward - and give a genuine glimpse of just how quick this fella is on the stage.

And, what's even more interesting is that the Saint-Maxime-based Rallye du Var is often used by drivers dialing themselves in for the Monte...

Now that would be a story.