Kobayashi was scared for his safety in the Caterham
The difficulties of Caterham echo Kamui Kobayashi's statements in Sochi. He had expressed his concern about a makeshift repair on his car during the Russian Grand Prix.
The Bianchi accident has awakened an awareness in Formula 1: you can get hurt! This has undoubtedly exacerbated certain fears or doubts among the drivers. This is the case for Kamui Kobayashi, who stated on his personal Facebook that he is seriously worried about his safety in the Caterham: “Shocking! Last night [Friday night] a defect in the suspension was detected. There are no spare parts and it was repaired by wrapping it with carbon fiber.” He also posted a photo of the makeshift repairs on the rear suspension (see below).
The team, plagued by financial and organizational difficulties, apparently went to the Sochi race with a limited number of spare parts. There are still practice sessions and the race, adds the Japanese driver. I am seriously worried. As a racing driver, should I drive? Should I refuse for safety reasons? I’m driving again in 15 minutes…
Caterham defended itself against a minor inconsistency regarding the left rear suspension. The application of a carbon fiber wrap was a normal procedure for the team. The team asserts that the component was validated as safe and was rechecked between each session to be absolutely sure that there wouldn’t be any problems.
Kamui Kobayashi had to retire from the Sochi race after his team asked him to return to the pits. According to the Japanese driver, he was told to “save the car” due to a lack of spare parts. However, Caterham claims it was a brake issue. The team director, Manfredi Ravetto, states that “the safety of our drivers is our main concern,” adding that he “does not understand” Kobayashi’s reaction.
We knew about Caterham’s lack of interest in the Japanese driver. The team has shown little consideration for him lately, replacing him with other drivers during Grand Prix weekends. It seems Kobayashi’s trust in his technical team has also been broken.
Kamui Kobayashi reportedly paid at least 1.5 million euros for his seat at Caterham this year, primarily thanks to donations from fans and supporters.
