Kamui Kobayashi

Of all the drivers in the Formula One fraternity, Kamui Kobayashi (小林 可夢偉) seems to be one of the most difficult to work out.

Formula One fans love watching him, and he's famed for overtaking, but he does less overtaking than many drivers out on the field. He's rarely been defensively punchy other than his début in Brazil in 2009.

His GP2 record is less than exceptional. He would never have got into Formula One if he was a different nationality.

I think Kobayashi must be praised, but not for the usual reasons. What is outstanding is that given the opportunity, he picks up points. He did so at Abu Dhabi in 2009, for much of the latter half of 2010 and his run of points scores in 2011 (not counting his dsq in Australia) was longer than anyone's bar Button, Webber and Vettel. Excellent strategic decisions from his advisors in Spa and Valencia in 2010 and in Monaco and Canada in 2011 have seen excellent finishes.

Martin Brundle's favourite word when referring to Kobayashi is the typical "banzai", which refers to punchy Japanese drivers. I would argue that Kobayashi is less banzai than some of his less than illustrious predecessors, and thus more able to finish Grands Prix, and well placed to become the best driver that Grand Prix racing Japan has ever produced.

 

[RasputinLives]

Who would you put in instead FB?

 

[Mephistopheles]

I see having a Japanese driver in the sport as a massive positive for F1 and Koby is a very exciting driver to watch and brings a huge fan base with him seeing him on the podium at Suzuka was a glorious F1 moment, well it was for me anyway...

 

[FB]

To be absolutely honest RasputinLives I don't know but this is a step back, not a step forward. I'm sure there are lots of very talented young drivers in the lower formulas and I'd like to see a new face.

 

[Plutus]

He is just as talent or limited?, as Perez. I consider him to be a valuable addition to the team.

 

[Road of Bones]

I always thought Sato was better, frankly.

 

[RasputinLives]

Sato? Hmmmm. Don't disagree with you very often Road of Bones but going to have to there.

Kamui wil perform to the level of his machinary and bring home a result. He's exceptionally good at making a strategy work. Sato was all random speed and no control with the lack of points he scored compared to his team mates tending to be embarrasing.

 

[Road of Bones]

Don't care RasputinLives - I liked Sato, whereas I never caught the Kamui hype. Guess I never forgave him for holding up Jenson at Brazil in '09. Nobody ever said I had to be rational about it, or follow the herd in singing his praises.

 

[RasputinLives]

Holding up is a tad harsh. They were fighting for position and whilst our friend JB had a little moan about him if you go back and look he held his line and was just fighting for his position.

Does your likeness for Sato come from him putting up no fight against JB?

 

[Road of Bones]

Actually, I liked Sato from when he was Ant's teammate at Carlin in British F3, and was delighted when he scored a few points for Jordan at Suzuka in 2003. His being JB's teammate at BAR-Honda further endeared him to me, as did his efforts at Super Aguri. I remember Taku showing Ralf Schumacher how to overtake DC at Hockenheim in '04 with particular fondness.
Kamui seemed (to me) to spend lots of time mired anonymously in the lower midfield after failing to impress in qualy, and as a result got himself into a few too many contacts as a result (JB and LH both spring to mind). Perez did far more with some of Sauber's "hail Mary" strategy calls then he did, frankly. I really don't see that improving this year, unless Caterham have done something Brawn-like with the new regs, of course!

 

[Bushi]

Aah Sato, he only seemed fired up when he got to Super Aguri. I still remember his pass on Alonso at Montreal in the last lap, just marvelous.
Still Kamui is in my eyes a bit better than Sato and I am happy he is back for this year.

 

[Incubus]

I have to say I can't help being constantly baffled whenever that pass at Montreal in 2007 is mentioned in such glowing terms.
I'm not quite sure what is great at seeing any driver overtake someone at the wheel of a damaged car?....

 

[Bushi]

Damaged? Alonso's car wasn't damaged. He became 6th in a Super Aguri!!!! How is that not great?!?

 

[Incubus]

Alonso had shed bits off his undertray right from the word go when he tried to win the race at the first corner, ran wide and repeated the mistake several times during that race. He didn't have much of it left by the end of the race.

 

[Bushi]

Still great that a Super Aguri overtook a Mclaren. That's like seeing a Marussia overtaking a Red Bull in a race. Don't think i have ever seen a Marussia overtaking a hurt Bull, Ferrari or Mclaren in recent years.

 

[teabagyokel]

KK's pass on Alonso in Valencia in 2010 was pretty impressive.

 

[Enja]

The King Returns.

 

[Fenderman]

Who? Is that you Enja or Kamui?

 

[Sergio]

I like him because he has some maverick/crazy moves which ignite the soporific race that are sometimes on offer... Welcome back!

 

[PeeJay]

Learning that he had no brakes entering the first corner in Australia must have been terrifying for Kamui. He offered to take responsibility for taking out Massa even through the evidence ultimately found that Kamui was not a fault. An exciting driver willing to take responsibility, a great role model for the younger drivers.

 

[Plutus]

Still great that a Super Aguri overtook a Mclaren. That's like seeing a Marussia overtaking a Red Bull in a race. Don't think i have ever seen a Marussia overtaking a hurt Bull, Ferrari or Mclaren in recent years.

No. Super Aguri were not 3 secs or more off the pace. The two teams are not comparable in terms of the performance Super Aguri had in 2007 and 2008. They clearly weren't as bad as some people seem to remember.