Kobayashi moves to sportscars
03-11-2013 | 04:15 PM
#1
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From: Half an hour from Mosport
Kobayashi moves to sportscars
For those of you who follow Kobayashi, he's moved to sportscars with Ferrari:
From AUTOSPORT:
Kamui Kobayashi confirms Ferrari WEC deal with AF CorseBy Gary Watkins Monday, March 11th 2013, 18:21 GMT
Former grand prix driver Kamui Kobayashi has joined Ferrari's factory World Endurance Championship campaign.
The move, predicted in AUTOSPORT magazine last month, means that the former Toyota and Sauber Formula 1 driver will race a Ferrari 458 Italia in the GTE Pro class for the factory AF Corse team.
Kobayashi joins a select band of Ferrari factory GT drivers, which includes Gianmaria Bruni, Giancarolo Fisichella and Toni Vilander.
Kobayashi, 26, said: "It's an honour for me to become part of the Ferrari family. I will work hard and give my all in this new chapter of my career.
"I can't wait to start working with AF Corse and really hope I can aim for the title."
The Japanese tested for Ferrari at Aragon in Spain last month along with another F1 refugee, Karun Chandhok.
The identity of Kobayashi's co-driver for the eight-round WEC is not expected to be announced until next week. Finn Vilander, who is on Ferrari's roster of factory drivers, is among the candidates.
Bruni and Fisichella, who led the driver line-up that took AF to the teams' title and Ferrari to the manufacturers' crown, are expected to remain together.
Olivier Beretta, who was nominated by AF for its #71 car, is racing for the Risi Competizione Ferrari squad in the American Le Mans Series and will not be part of AF's full-time line-up
From AUTOSPORT:
Kamui Kobayashi confirms Ferrari WEC deal with AF CorseBy Gary Watkins Monday, March 11th 2013, 18:21 GMT
Former grand prix driver Kamui Kobayashi has joined Ferrari's factory World Endurance Championship campaign.
The move, predicted in AUTOSPORT magazine last month, means that the former Toyota and Sauber Formula 1 driver will race a Ferrari 458 Italia in the GTE Pro class for the factory AF Corse team.
Kobayashi joins a select band of Ferrari factory GT drivers, which includes Gianmaria Bruni, Giancarolo Fisichella and Toni Vilander.
Kobayashi, 26, said: "It's an honour for me to become part of the Ferrari family. I will work hard and give my all in this new chapter of my career.
"I can't wait to start working with AF Corse and really hope I can aim for the title."
The Japanese tested for Ferrari at Aragon in Spain last month along with another F1 refugee, Karun Chandhok.
The identity of Kobayashi's co-driver for the eight-round WEC is not expected to be announced until next week. Finn Vilander, who is on Ferrari's roster of factory drivers, is among the candidates.
Bruni and Fisichella, who led the driver line-up that took AF to the teams' title and Ferrari to the manufacturers' crown, are expected to remain together.
Olivier Beretta, who was nominated by AF for its #71 car, is racing for the Risi Competizione Ferrari squad in the American Le Mans Series and will not be part of AF's full-time line-up
03-12-2013 | 01:45 AM
#4
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,456
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From: San Diego
He seemed to be pretty good long stints on used up tires, then turning up the heat at the end of the race, so that may be good for his endurance driving. Good to be a Ferrari factory driver but sad to see he's not in an F1 ride.
03-12-2013 | 10:09 AM
#7
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,107
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From: Holly Springs, NC
good for Kamu and Ferrari to put him in a good seat. I hated Sauber letting him go, he (like many) deserve a seat in F1 and despite all the money he raised on his own he couldn't stay. Loved seeing the podium in Suzuka last year.
