Renault driver Robert Kubica has regained consciousness as he begins his recovery following seven-hour surgery.
The 26-year-old's right hand was partially severed and he suffered arm and leg fractures when he crashed during a rally in Italy on Sunday.
"The doctors have said he has taken important steps forward," said Kubica's agent Daniele Morelli.
Renault said in a statement that Kubica had been able to move his fingers and had talked to his relatives.
"He was briefly woken up by the doctors," said the Renault statement.
"He was also able to move his fingers, which is encouraging for the rest of his recovery process.
"In order to avoid any physical stress, Robert will be put under gentle medication in order to sleep for the next 24 hours at least.
"Meanwhile, the doctors will decide how they will treat his elbow and shoulder fractures. Robert may have to undergo surgery once again for this, but not for a few days."
Yesterday's crash saw Kubica collide with a crash barrier on the outside of a fast right-hand turn 4.5km into the first special stage of the Ronde di Andora rally. It was reported that his Formula 1 career could be at risk as a consequence of the injuries.
The Pole, who finished eighth in the drivers' table last season, was in an induced coma overnight after seven hours of surgery before waking on Monday morning.
"Kubica is conscious, he talks and understands what has happened," said Dr Giorgio Barabino.
"The first thing he thought about was his co-driver and was informed about his condition.
"Things are going well considering that there was substantial damage. There were huge difficulties we faced and the necessary measures were taken immediately.
"Kubica lost a lot of blood. That is why the first hour was critical. He was unconscious and could not be operated on when he arrived at the hospital. He needed many transfusions during the stabilising process as well as during the very long surgery."
Professor Mario Igor Rossello was part of the surgery team and said it would take a week to determine if the operation had been a complete success.
"The hand is warm and this means the operation went well," said Rossello.
"It was a difficult operation. We need at least six days to check if the circulation of the blood in the limb responds as it should."
Renault team boss Eric Boullier, who is due to visit Kubica along with the Pole's team-mate Vitaly Petrov, told the BBC on Monday: "When you have a big crash like Robert suffered on Sunday, doctors always predict the worst-case scenario.
"Definitely he took seven hours in the surgery room to repair his hand and his arm.
"This morning it was really fine. They needed 24 hours to make sure he recovered completely and it looks like this morning they are all happy.
"He is definitely out for a couple of months. The recovery will be quicker than one year but it is a bit early to know exactly how long he will need."
Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso visited Kubica, who is understood to be the Spaniard's closest friend in the F1 paddock, in hospital on Sunday.
"Robert has inner strength and I am sure he can rely on that this time too," Alonso told the official Ferrari website . "The most important thing is that Robert's life is not in danger and the rest can take its time, but I am with him in heart and mind."
Alonso's Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa, who was skiing with the Spaniard in Val Gardena when news of Kubica's accident came through, sent a message to the Pole's agent.
"All my thoughts are with Robert at such a difficult time," he said. "I have first hand experience of this type of situation and I learned how important it is to feel so much support from family and friends.
"I hope that I too can send some positive energy his way and I am praying that all goes well and he gets back to normal."
Kubica was trapped in his car for more than an hour while specialist cutting equipment arrived at the crash scene.
He was eventually airlifted to the Santa Corona hospital near Genoa, where the operation took place.
His co-driver in the rally, Jakub Gerber, was unhurt in the accient and has spoken about how Kubica was injured when a crash barrier penetrated the floor of their vehicle.
"The guard rail pierced through the car and went all the way through it," Gerber told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.
"I immediately saw it was serious, [Robert] also had a bad bruise under his eye after hitting the steering wheel. Robert passed out and I exited through the window because the door was stuck.
"The ambulance arrived immediately and then came the firemen. They took more than half an hour to pull him out. The first crew didn't have the shears so they had to wait for another crew. Then the helicopter couldn't land in that spot, so Robert had to be moved and more time was lost."
Gerber refused to blame Kubica for the crash saying: "In a competition you try to go as quickly as possible. Robert is the type of person that thinks hard, always looks a step ahead, he's precise, fast and clean. A complete driver."
Virgin driver Timo Glock, who tested for BMW Sauber alongside Kubica in 2007, told BBC Sport that he believes Kubica has the steely character needed to make a full recovery.
"I know him quite well," said Glock. "He's not just a driver like someone else, he's a good guy.
"He will [have the determination to come back]. He is just a fighter, he already had a big accident in a road car in F3 and he came back and won nearly the first race and put the car on pole position.
"I'm pretty sure if everything goes well he will be back."
Virgin boss John Booth, who raced Kubica alongside McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton in a Formula 3 race for his Manor Motorsport team, added: I've known Robert on-and-off since he was 15 years old and he is probably the nicest guy in Formula 1 as well as being one of the fastest.
"I know he's recovered from a terrible accident once before and I'm sure he can do it again. He did it from a terrible accident to get back in a Formula 3 car so I'm sure the lure of Formula 1 will drive him even harder."
Former world champion Mario Andretti added his own message of support on his Twitter page , saying: "Feel really bad for Robert Kubica. Definitely an F1 champion in the making. Hope this is just a temporary setback."
Renault have defended Kubica's decision to participate in a rally so close to the start of the F1 season, which begins on 13 March.
"He loves rallying. We knew the risks and so did he," Boullier told Italian news agency Ansa.
"We didn't want a robot or a corporate man for a driver. It was agreed together."
Renault will decide who will replace Kubica once they have a better idea of how long it will take for him to recover.
The former BMW Sauber driver regularly competes in rallies and was taking part in the Italian event a week after a successful testing session in the new Renault car in Valencia.
Kubica had been due to lead the Renault campaign with Russian Petrov, who has signed for the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
Renault's reserve drivers for 2011 include Bruno Senna, who raced for Hispania last season, and Frenchman Romain Grosjean, who drove for Renault as a replacement for Nelson Piquet Jr in 2009.
"We are already starting to think and work on a contingency plan," added Boullier.
One of the reserve drivers looks set to participate in the second pre-season test, which starts in Jerez on Thursday.
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