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.
 
Il_leone - Excepting Malaysia, his two podiums have come as a consequence of him qualifying poorly and taking a risk on tyre strategy. The only Sauber podium of the year done so from a decent grid position was Kobayashi in Japan.

While those podiums are commendable, you would expect a poor McLaren qualifying to more-often-than-not see him in Q3 anyway, thus closing that escape door.
 
teabagyokel

We shall see because apparently Luca DI MOntezemolo was not sure of Perez's consistency

Kamui used local knowledge to get his podium in Suzuka

I'll forgive him for Spa because Grosjean had brain fade

But China was not he 3rd on the grid and the cars went backwards ?
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Problem with Kamui is that he suffers from previous expectations of past Japanese drivers were not high

- mainly through sponsors - he was backed by Toyota
- wet weather specialists usually
- lack of recognition outside Japan

They've gotten better ie Nakajima and Sato but no one sees them as potential race winners and world champion material

Its an unfortunate stigma about Japanese drivers

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Interesting tweets from Kobayashi
Last my 4race this season will do my best as much as possible. Unfortunately my plan next year is not fix yet but of course will do my best And try to get my dream. It's feel so high wall but this chance give me opportunity to be a even stronger my self One day if I need help from supporter of course it will be very helpful and please keep support me it will help a lot!!
 
Ok so it seems Kobi has set up a website for fans to pledge cash to help support his future in F1. Within just a few days he's raised half a million quid and admits its put him in a lot stronger position for his talks with Force India.

Nice to know he's in talks with Force India at least.
 
Ok so it seems Kobi has set up a website for fans to pledge cash to help support his future in F1. Within just a few days he's raised half a million quid and admits its put him in a lot stronger position for his talks with Force India.

Nice to know he's in talks with Force India at least.

I've heard that he's in talks with Lotus as well,who ,apparently,arent very happy with RoGro's appalling inconsistency.....
 
So Kamui has apparently raised over 127,863,961 yen (about $1.5 M) so far from his donations website. I like him and hope he stays in F1, but a small part of me does find it a little ridiculous that of all things people would donate considerably large amounts of money to, it's for a fairly privileged guy to keep driving around in millions of pounds worth of machinery.
 
All I get from that website is a load of symbols, KAMUI SUPPORT in several places and a number, 5176050. Would that be the latest level of contributions ?
 
Yeah but Perez then spent the last nine gps playing wacky races. Are you suggesting that if Kamui had his run at the begining of the season he'd be at Mclaren?

There was some guy called Sebastian Vettel who had a better last third of the year than first two. He did alright.
 
McLaren might not have gone for Perez if his post Singapore run had been at the beginning of the season, their choice may well have been different.
 
I may be wrong, I seem to have been a lot today, but I can't think of one BMWless Sauber podium before 2012. Certainly Perez scored their highest position as an independent at Malyasia.
 
Yep, but not their first ever podium. Kobayashi plonked it on the front row at Spa though. He did Webber the start though, and not for the only time.
 
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