Kobayashi in the running for a seat at Caterham in 2014?

Launched into the big leagues of F1 by Toyota in 2008, following Timo Glock’s injury, Kamui Kobayashi impressed in his debut and was subsequently recruited by the Sauber team, where he stayed for three seasons. But at the end of 2012, he was not retained, as Nico Hülkenberg and Esteban Gutiérrez were chosen by the Swiss team.

Without a seat in F1, the Japanese driver has found refuge in Endurance racing, more specifically in the GT category, with Ferrari, which has also allowed him to test F1 cars that are two years old on several occasions. As the number of available seats for next year decreases day by day, it could be that Kobayashi is in the running to return to Formula 1 in 2014. At least, that’s what Adam Cooper, a British journalist collaborating notably with Autosport, believes.

Kobayashi has reportedly managed to gather around 6 million euros – thanks to the support of his fans and entrepreneurs – and he is currently in the running for a seat with the Caterham F1 team, which has yet to reveal its drivers for the 2014 season.

Heikki Kovalainen would also be well placed, but the Finn has never hidden the fact that he does not bring a budget with him, and following Cyril Abiteboul’s recent statements about drivers without a budget, his stock might not be so high with the green and yellow team.

According to Adam Cooper, Kobayashi could be paired with Marcus Ericsson – who also brings financial backing – which would perfectly align with recent statements from Caterham officials who wanted to pair a rookie driver with a more experienced driver.

Furthermore, the possible return of Kobayashi would also be a boon for Bernie Ecclestone and Honda, which owns the Suzuka Circuit where the Japanese Grand Prix takes place, as it could contribute to a resurgence of interest among the Japanese in the Formula 1 World Championship.

The summary table of transfers is accessible here.