by: Quincy Reyes
For your information, the Kobayashi that I am talking about is not the hotdog-eating Kobayashi that you know…
Recently over my Facebook and Twitter pages I have been posting videos and commenting on Kamui Kobayashi, the young 24-year old Formula 1 driver from the BMW-Sauber-Ferrari F1 Team who has been making waves all over the racing world for his relentless overtaking maneuvers and sheer driving skills being shown every time he is racing with his C29.
Ever since his lucky stint at Toyota following an accident by his then team mate Timo Glock in Japan last year by which he was given the opportunity to take over the latter’s seat for the Brazilian and Abu Dhabi legs, Kamui, a proud son of a sushi maker, was almost certain of a driver’s seat for the Japanese team in 2010 following his superb performances in Brazil when he ended 9th and at some point fended-off a great fight with then points leader-turned world champion Jenson Button for seven laps and in Abu Dhabi when he qualified 12th and stormed past his rivals to end 6th. But things all changed when Toyota announced its withdrawal in the Formula 1 scene. Thankfully Peter Sauber saved the young and talented Japanese driver and put him onboard the revamped Sauber F1 for 2010 alongside former and long time McLaren third driver Pedro De La Rosa.
Still not a lot are aware of this kid’s driving prowess having been overshadowed by the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton as the young F1 hotshots on the block. The C29 was performing well during the testing season yet things did not go right for the Swiss-owned team as engine reliability issues with Ferrari and the lack of pace haunted both drivers with Kamui having to retire in the first four races, with no points despite his best qualifying feat in the Malaysia Grand Prix by which he was to start in 9th, only to retire.
One more retirement in Monaco and he was off to his first point, and his team’s first point too in Turkey. Despite the point earned, he still did not earn much attention from the media who were all too busy dealing with Hamilton, Vettel and were even covering more of Nico Hulkenberg and Vitaly Petrov as the rookies to watch.
He began to make waves and turn the lacklustre season of Sauber around when starting from 18th on the grid he managed to bring his C29 to 7th having overtaken former World Champion and current Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Buemi of Toro Rosso at the penultimate lap of the European GP in Valencia. The feat was reciprocated in the following races at Silverstone where he crossed the finish line in 6th place from 12th, his best finish so far, 9th in the Hungarian GP, 8th in the Belgian GP yet having to retire again in Monza and in Singapore following his accidents on both occasions.
October 10, 2010 was perhaps the day that made him a true F1 star, in his home GP in Suzuka, Japan. Not only did he show the world how amazing, clean and calculated a driver he was but also he uplifted the image of Japan in the racing world with his superb overtaking maneuvers which wowed even the likes of popular ESPN F1 commentator Steve Slater and former F1 driver Alex Yoong and did I mention that Mr. Slater tweeted back on my comment Kamui is going to be a force to reckon with that’s why bigger teams should keep their eyes on him and Mr. Slater totally agreed to my comment.
Kamui began his usual lowly qualifying start of 14th on his way up to the points to end up in 7th much to the delight of the Japanese crowd who gave him a standing ovation on his way to the chequered flag even overshadowing the win of Sebastian Vettel.
Kamui has then become a household name in the sporting world with overflowing comments from hardcore fans and I am submitting myself to that. I could not imagine that he actually dreams of becoming a comedian someday or ending up making sushi.
From the usual question of “who the hell is Kamui Kobayashi?” to him being a sporting ambassador in his home country in Japan and a hero to many F1 fans who would probably have seen the best overtaking moves in recent years, Kamui’s banzai and no fear attitude with his battle against Jaime Alguersuari, Rubens Barrichello and his former team mate Nick Heidfeld, carved himself a place as one of F1’s elite.
Yes I am a big fan of Kamui and that I am very glad that the world has acknowledged his feat. I personally think that this young lad has a great prospect ahead of him. Perhaps we could even see a world champion in him. With the F1 world dominated by Europeans and Latin Americans, having an Asian F1 driver making waves and competing with the crème de la crème of the racing world for points or even podium finishes means really something, more than pride it is the achievement that just like Football, F1 is too a world sport.
Who knows Kamui might land soon in bigger, established teams like Renault, McLaren or Ferrari but at least until next year we will all see him driving a Sauber.
He now lies 12th in the driver standings with 27 points behind another F1 legend Barrichello. His team lies 8th in the constructor standings with 37 points.
I am looking forward to see Kamui in the upcoming races fighting for points or even podiums. I would love to see him overtake more cars and to show his rivals how to overtake cleanly, Hamilton and Button might be the current darlings but I must say someone out in the F1 world can charge and challenge these guys, and that is Kamui Kobayashi!
