Robert Kubica’s F1 career began at Sauber back in 2006 – and now that he’s Alfa Romeo’s reserve to Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi, it’s all come full circle for the Pole who made an incredible comeback to F1 in 2019.

Kubica took part in numerous practice sessions and testing days for Sauber in 2006 before being called up to the team to make his race debut in place of Jacques Villeneuve mid-season. In just his third start, he scored a sensational podium at Monza.

He eventually had to step away from F1 before the start of the 2011 season after he was severely injured in a rally accident, but he returned to the sport as a race driver for Williams in 2019. But having left the British team at the end of last season, Kubica will also compete in the DTM in 2020 alongside his Alfa Romeo duties.

READ MORE: Raikkonen and Giovinazzi unveil 2020 Alfa Romeo at testing

The Sauber team was rebranded as Alfa Romeo in 2018 – and the Pole says it feels like familiar territory.

“When I started my Formula 1 career in 2006, I started in Hinwil [Switzerland] so I am 14 years older – I am in a bit of a different role but it’s nice to see so many of the same faces, same people who actually made everything happen for me… a lot of things have changed because F1 has changed actually, quite a lot, and the team is developing but the DNA of the team is still the same. I’m finally back home and I hope we have a good year,” Kubica said as pre-season testing got underway in Barcelona on Wednesday.

READ MORE: Live coverage of F1 pre-season testing