Feb.24 (GMM) Robert Kubica is facing down a long and intensive path to full fitness.

After suffering horrific injuries in a rally crash and three major operations, the Polish driver has finally been moved out of intensive care to the rehabilitation ward of his Italian hospital.

And the very first phases of muscle rehabilitation have now begun, well-known formula one doctor Ricardo Ceccarelli told Autosprint in Italy.

And Ceccarelli, who now works with Renault, said the full rehabilitation process - apparently to begin in about a month - will involve a number of specialists.

He said a different specialist will be assigned to "each region of the body injured" in the crash.

"Foot, knee, elbow, hand -- they all require different programmes," he explained.

Ceccarelli said the first phase will start "very soon".

"His limbs, still for these last 20 days, have lost a lot of normal muscle tension and tone," he said. "So we're already working on that.

"Robert is a very determined patient who wants to work many hours per day," explained Ceccarelli, who said that Kubica will soon be able to sit normally.

"But with these fractures, at least a month still needs to pass before he is able to stand on his feet," he added.

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