Robert Kubica says he was "in the wrong place at the wrong time" when he made his failed attempt at a return to Formula 1 with Williams in 2019.
The Pole, whose highly promising F1 career initially came to a tragic end in 2011 with a rally crash and a lifelong arm injury, has just turned 39.
After losing his Williams seat, he has once again built up his credentials, finishing second in the LMP2 class at Le Mans this year and taking the title. He is moving up to the top hypercar category with the Ferrari-linked AF Corse team.
He told Przeglad Sportowy that he isn’t sure how much longer he’ll race at the top level.
"I know that my professional life takes up 90 percent of my time," he said, having just extended his association with his Polish backer Orlen.
"It’s like this: when I go for a bike ride, I think about racing. The entire schedule of the day and the year is subordinated to what awaits me in the car.
"On the one hand, this is positive, but on the other hand, I will soon be 40 years old and thoughts start to arise - what will I do next in life?"
What he has learned is that even the prospect of a high-profile return to Formula 1 is not necessarily appealing.
"Over the years, I have come to the realisation that you don’t have to race at all costs," said Kubica. "I want to find the right atmosphere where I know I feel good.
"The current situation gives me a certain awareness of mental comfort. The second thought associated with returning to Formula 1 is that from a sporting point of view it could not have been worse when I ended up at Williams.
"Honestly, I have a lot of respect for this team because there were quite a lot of people there who really knew what they were doing," he explained. "Unfortunately, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time."