More surgery on his injured arm could lead Robert Kubica back to Formula One.
The Pole was becoming so established as a rising great talent in F1 that by 2011 he was being mentioned as Fernando Alonso's next teammate at Ferrari.
Now a full-time world rally driver, he would not confirm how close he had come to a move to Maranello when speaking to the Italian broadcaster Sky at the weekend.
"I cannot say," said Kubica, who was smiling as he answered.
His return to F1 has been thwarted so far by his recovery from a life-threatening rally crash just prior to the 2011 F1 season, when he was signed up to race for Lotus.
Restricted movement in his right arm, wrist, hand and fingers has meant that, while he can drive a rally or touring car, the limited space of a F1 cockpit is more challenging.
But Kubica told the BBC he is set to look into whether further surgery could put his F1 "dream" back on track.
"Once the season is over I will look at everything," he said.
"The arm and hand are OK," said Kubica. "From a mobility point of view, there have been some improvements. From a limitation point of view, it's pretty much the same.
The wrecked car of former Formula One driver, Robert Kubica, is loaded onto a tow truck in Andora, on Feb. 6, 2011. Kubica was behind the wheel of the Skoda Fabia during the Ronde di Andora Rally in Italy, when his vehicle left the road and crashed into a wall.
"So I need to have more surgery - and there are possibilities - but it's a tight season, there are many rallies and they are long events," he explained.
"Formula One would be a dream to come back but we have to stay realistic," Kubica added.
"If I decide to try and come back I will have more surgery this winter and maybe with the help of the doctors, and with some luck, it will be possible."
