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 thatGrand Prix racing Japan has ever produced.
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
