F1: Sauber Confirms Kobayashi For 2010

Formula 1

F1: Sauber Confirms Kobayashi For 2010

As expected Kamui Kobayashi has signed to race with the Sauber team in 2010...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted December 17, 2009 Balen (BEL)

Kamui Kobayashi impressed many as he filled in for an injured Timo Glock for the final two races of 2009, including a sixth place in the season finale at Abu Dhabi. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Kamui Kobayashi’s attention grabbing debut races for Toyota in Brazil and Abu Dhabi have landed him a Sauber seat for 2010.

The Toyota test driver stepped in when Timo Glock was injured and caught the attention by holding off Jenson Button in Brazil and then actually passing him in Abu Dhabi, where he finished sixth He was tipped for a Toyota seat until the team withdrew. He has some financial support.

Kobayashi’s signing is crucial for the future of F1’s popularity in Japan, not least because neither Takuma Sato not Kazumi Nakajima have found seats yet.

There is no word yet on the second driver, although Nick Heidfeld is assumed to be the main choice should he lose out to Michael Schumacher at Mercedes.

“I’m very much looking forward to working together with Kamui,” said Peter Sauber in a team statement. “In the final two Grand Prix of last season he was granted an unexpected chance to show his skills, and he made impressive use of it. Particularly in the Abu Dhabi race he demonstrated not only that he can drive fast and aggressively, but also his ability to successfully implement a strategy. I am convinced he has a great deal of potential and will be able to make the most of it in our team.”

Kobayashi said: “Ever since the start of my career I have dreamed of racing in Formula One. Now this dream has come true. I am very happy that my two races in 2009 have earned me a cockpit place. I will do my very best for Peter Sauber’s team and I am proud to be able to carry on flying the Japanese flag in Formula One.”

Interestingly the team is still called BMW Sauber, and there has been no word yet on an official name change for 2010, when it will once again use Ferrari engines.

Adam Cooper notched up his 25th season as a racing journalist in 2009. Born in London, England, he saw his first F1 race at age 10 in 1976. He began freelancing for Autosport magazine in 1985 and was on the fulltime staff from 1987-92. He then went freelance again, initially spending two years in Japan before following the 1994 Champcar series from a base in Indianapolis. He has not missed a Grand Prix since Suzuka ‘94, a run that has extended to Abu Dhabi ’09. Adam has written books about Eddie Irvine, Piers Courage and Michael Schumacher and hosts a race preview show on Sirius XM. He has written about F1 for SPEEDtv.com since 2005.