On Monday, at the Fiorano circuit in Italy, ex-Sauber driver Kamui Kobayashi got back into the cockpit of a Formula 1 car, driving a Ferrari F10 to prepare for a roadshow.
The Japanese driver who participated in 60 Grand Prix races between 2009 and 2012, notably for the Sauber team, found himself without a seat in Formula 1 this season simply due to a lack of funding. He managed to find a seat in GT racing for Ferrari, far from Formula 1…
However, still in the spotlight for the brand with the prancing horse, he will have the opportunity to drive the F10 during a roadshow for the Moscow City Racing event organized on July 21 in the Russian capital. He was therefore entrusted with the steering wheel of the Formula 1 developed by Scuderia Ferrari in 2010 to prepare for his roadshow at the Fiorano circuit. It had been more than six months since he last drove it.
« My first feeling was immense joy, » explains Kamui Kobayashi after the tests yesterday. « I raced against this car and I know how fast it can be so it was very important to get the best experience possible. Last year, in Brazil, was my last race in Formula 1 and now I am in the endurance championship, driving a Ferrari 458 GT. The sensations are totally different but it was not difficult to readjust. In the past, I have driven many different cars, so I am used to adapting. »
« It’s great to be able to drive an F1 again at this event and for me it will be a double first: First time in a Ferrari F1, first time in this city. » he concludes.
While he had not been able to gather enough money to secure a seat in Formula 1 this season, the Japanese driver had said in early February that he was optimistic for the 2014 season.
