Kobayashi hopes there’s no barrier to F1 return

Kamui Kobayashi was the driver chosen to represent the Ferrari at the annual Moscow City Racing event held over the weekend. He was at the wheel of a 2009-spec F60 and in the wet conditions, well, things didn’t quite go to plan.

You can see an unofficial video after the break showing Kamui hitting the barrier. Ferrari’s Corse Clienti crew had a spare car prepared within 20 minutes enabling the Japanese driver to get back out on track and impress the fans.

“The track was very slippery and there was a marked bump at that point, which is why I hit the barrier,” Kobayshi said. “A shame, but I am pleased the team let me out again after a few minutes.”

Despite his bruised ego Kobayashi, who has been racing for Ferrari in the FIA World Endurance Championship, says he still remains hopeful of a return to F1 in 2014. And while you always need to be mindful of physical barriers in motorsport, Kamui says there may be some financial barriers he has to overcome.

“At the moment, there are many teams who prefer to choose their drivers based on how much money they can bring, rather than on their ability on track,” he said. “I hope this trend will change, because my aim is to be back there as soon as possible and I am working hard to succeed.

“Meanwhile, all I can do is give my all to Ferrari in the GT races and be available to the team for whatever they want me to do, such as events like this, or when they ask me to help with the development of the car by working on the simulator.”

We’ve got some official pics and statements to follow Kamui’s unfortunate accident.

Kobayashi spectacular in rainy Moscow

Moscow, 21 July – Today was a wet Sunday in Moscow which didn’t bring much luck. The fifth running of the Moscow City Racing event, which since 2008 has seen gathered together the best of motorsport in the heart of the Russian capital, took place in bad weather, with rain falling on and off throughout the day, sometimes quite heavily.

However, there was plenty of spectacle, perhaps a bit too much in the case of Kamui Kobayashi. The Japanese driver got one of the warmest welcomes from the crowd that lined the 3800 metre track, but he was caught out during his last run of laps by a track made particularly slippery as the rain came down hard at that moment and he ended up in the barriers.

The F60 was badly damaged, much to the ironic delight of the F1 Clienti department mechanics, but they set about their tasks with gusto and in around 20 minutes, they had readied a second car, thus ensuring that Kamui and the Scuderia were able to produce the best possible finale, as the Japanese driver did one final lap of honour against the backdrop of the walls of the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral.

“It was great to be able to represent Scuderia Ferrari at such an important event,” said Kamui to www.ferrari.com, when the day was over. “For this I would once again like to thank the team and its sponsor Kaspersky Lab. It is important to be able to bring Formula 1 close to the public with promotional events like this: a shame about the rain as otherwise the crowd might have been even bigger. The crash? The track was very slippery and there was a marked bump at that point, which is why I hit the barrier. A shame, but I am pleased the team let me out again after a few minutes.”

Of the five Formula 1 teams present in Moscow, only the Scuderia had brought two cars ready to use. When you drive an F1 car on city streets like here in Moscow, with the barriers very close and escape roads reduced to a minimum, the risks of a crash are definitely higher than at a permanent circuit: you need to have a good number of spare parts and even a second car, so as not to deprive the spectators who maybe never have a chance to see at first hand, the spectacle of the highest level of motor sport. This time, the Scuderia’s choice was very definitely the right one.

Kobayashi: “My aim is to get back to Formula 1”

Moscow, 21 July – Kamui Kobayashi’s first public appearance as a driver working for Scuderia Ferrari was an opportunity for the Japanese driver to sum up his race season so far. “It’s been an unusual year for me,” Kamui told www.ferrari.com. “I chose to tackle a new adventure with Ferrari, racing a 458 GT, rather than not drive. In the FIA WEC, we have some ground to make up on the best, but there are still five races to go and if we improve the car, we still have a chance of bringing home the title. Personally, I believe that I have made a good impression, given this is my first season in closed cars and with a team-mate, Toni Vilander, who is very strong and has been taking part in these races for a decade.”

However Formula 1 is still Kamui’s main aim for next season. “At the moment, there are many teams who prefer to choose their drivers based on how much money they can bring, rather than on their ability on track: I hope this trend will change, because my aim is to be back there as soon as possible and I am working hard to succeed. Meanwhile, all I can do is give my all to Ferrari in the GT races and be available to the team for whatever they want me to do, such as events like this, or when they ask me to help with the development of the car by working on the simulator.”

Speaking of his experience in Russia, Kamui had this to say: “I was very impressed by the city: you know, I come from a big place like Tokyo, but you don’t feel the weight of history there as you do in Moscow. Also, it was nice to see so much enthusiasm for Formula 1: you can tell there is a lot of passion and a desire to see real racing cars. I really hope that next year, Russia can stage its first ever Grand Prix!”