Kobayashi: ‘Q3 means more than a point’

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Kamui Kobayashi praised his team’s effort in getting both cars to finish for the first time in 2010 last weekend.

But he admitted reaching the top ten in qualifying gave him more satisfaction:

Definitely qualifying means more to me because it shows my true performance. In a race you can always benefit from somebody else’s misfortune or have an issue yourself. That makes the race result something different. Qualifying is about pure performance, and I think if we get everything right we always have a chance to get into the final qualifying session.
Kamui Kobayashi

He urged the team to build on its progress in Turkey over the coming races:

The team did a really good job that weekend. We had some very difficult situations in the previous races, so it was really nice to bring both cars home in Istanbul and get this point. But it is only a single point, and that is not something we should be satisfied with. It can only be the first step.
Kamui Kobayashi

After a string of races at tracks he is familiar with racing at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve will be a new experience for Kobayashi:

Canada will be a new track for me. I don’t even know it from the simulator and so have to learn it in free practice.

Obviously other drivers will have an advantage here, but I don’t see it as a problem. In general I feel we are now on the right path. The way we work together and are attuned to each other has improved, and it was so nice to see the mechanics in Istanbul smiling for the first time after the race!

Until then I had only seen disappointed faces on Sunday nights. With this positive feeling, that everybody will now pick up on, and our improvements to the car, I’m sure we will be doing better in the future.
Kamui Kobayashi

Read more: Turkish GP team-by-team: Sauber

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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15 comments on “Kobayashi: ‘Q3 means more than a point’”

  1. Looks like he does not only support his team with good capuccinos cooked and japanese food, but also post team boosting press releases.

    nice one Kamui!

  2. TheGreatCornholio
    3rd June 2010, 10:00

    It’d be nice to see them getting some sponsorship on the cars after the double finish and scoring their first point of the season! Any word on that situation please Keith?

  3. You would think the team could at least splash for a game console to learn the track on. Free practice learning? The man has balls.

    1. He said before his debut race at Brazil last year that he only new the track from the play station….

  4. Interesting what he says about qualifying – I’m sure plenty of drivers who had their runs blocked by slower cars would say otherwise

  5. Ned Flanders
    3rd June 2010, 10:12

    Go Koby! I actually think he’s doing a decent if unspectacular job in 2010. He seems to have the edge on de la Rosa in every race at the moment.

    Here’s hoping he keeps on improving. I’d love to see him buck the trend of Japanese drivers and actually achieve something in his career

    1. Has a Japanese driver ever won a race or got on the podium?

      1. No wins or poles.
        Aguri Suzuki and Takuma Sato each made it to 3rd place once, Sato also has a front row start. Masahiro Hasemi and Satoru Nakajima managed a fastest lap.

        But that’s about all…

        1. De La Rosa really isn’t that far away though, maybe a tenth or so at the most. It’s the perfect driver line up for Sauber in my opinion and I think both guys are doing a great job.

  6. I think Kamui’s statement on making it to Q3 is a subtle way of saying that he is a strong qualifier, but can never really pull through in a race.

    1. What insight! Amazing.

  7. Your Welcome.. glad to have enlightened you.

  8. Magnificent Geoffrey
    3rd June 2010, 13:26

    I have adopted Kobayashi-san as my driver of choice for this season for reasons that I don’t even really know myself. Despite that time when he tried to assassinate Nakajima in Brazil I’ve found him to be an exciting and capable driver and since he doesn’t appear to be particularly arrogant or immature like some drivers on the grid I’d love to see him do well. I’m also very supportive of Sauber and really hope they have more success come their way in the near future, because Formula 1 would be very much worse off without the true privateer teams like Sauber around. I hope they manage to get a hold of some more sponsors and quickly, because I imagine Peter Sauber has had some pretty big repair bills to pay already this year!

    1. lol, Nice insight! :)

  9. Charles Carroll
    3rd June 2010, 21:30

    I’m a fan of Kobayashi. I like the fact that he is the son of a chef and doesn’t seem incredibly arrogant or immature. He seems like he is a decent guy who is here to give his absolute best with an earnestness unseen in some of the top guys. I wish Sauber the best as well, and I hope they will be able to stick around a while, both to develop their car and Kamui. It would be nice to pair him with someone else next year though.

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