[Poothevokprot]

He impressed almost all of us last season . Pushing the-not-so-good Toyota car to its limits . This year , Sauber team looking no good form . The car didn't deliver as much as mid-field car did . If only Toyota didn't quit Formula One . He would have battle for the championship this season . I just look at the Toyata 2010 f1 car , it's one extreme design of any formula car that i have seen . All and all , I'm hoping that the top teams will take him in the near future . I want to see different nation to take the crown .

Future champion anyone ?

[Poll Pitt]

I wouldn't make such a bold prediction yet. However he could be a race winner in the future.

[altosburg]

is it joke ?

[Poothevokprot]

Nope .Of course people will think it as a joke . Back field driver will never end up in top team . But look the way he drive . Pushing the car limits .

Put him in Red Bull , Mclaren or Ferrari car . See what he can do .

[paypaltoegold1]

Best rookie of 2010. However, he isn't blowing away Pedro who isn't stellar.

Wait and see.

[Roker]

Certainly been very impressive recently, and enlivened the European Grand Prix late on (early excitement having been provided by flying Antipodeans).

But, looking at the whole of 2009, not just the F1 drives, he went into the GP2 season having won the GP2 Asia Series and, despite a year's experience in the '08 car (including a win in his first meeting) did pretty much nothing. He was quite lucky to get the Toyota gig after that. I would say though, that he is at least the most exciting prospect from Japan for a number of years.

[denyffishh]

doing a good job, and with an improving car will be delivering better results.
That whole teams to be on a steady course to improvement.

I do like Kobayashi as he has a certain edginess to his driving that is both endearing to the fans as well as a mark of a pure racer. I could care less about his gp2 stint tbh.

I won't go as far as calling him a future WDC yet. For that you need the right car and circumstance. But I would say this, if he was driving the RBR, Ferrari or Mclaren, we might already be talking about Kobayashi the race winner.

[markkisil]

I don't think he will be a world champion.

I think he may be typical Japanese driver and make to many mistakes to achieve the heights of world champion, but clearly could be the best Japanese driver yet.

I wait to be proved wrong though.

[BitStillrhile]

I think it is too early to tell how much potential Kamui Kobayashi has but he certainly is a promising driver. He isn't scared to fight for position with anyone whatever their reputation and clearly is good at overtaking, I don't think he makes many mistakes either.

[Svatudjw]

Nope .Of course people will think it as a joke . Back field driver will never end up in top team . But look the way he drive . Pushing the car limits .

Put him in Red Bull , Mclaren or Ferrari car . See what he can do .

We would see lots of crashes, few daring overtaking manouvres and a couple of victories but consistency just isn't there, IMO.

[Poothevokprot]

We would see lots of crashes

Let's just hope that won't happen .

few daring overtaking manouvres and a couple of victories

Now that's i would like to see !

[asSexate]

World champ? As much as I admire the guy and enjoy his style of driving I can't see him becoming a WDC. I've watched his career for a while so whilst I don't see him making all the way to the top I do believe he will be the best driver Japan has ever produced and spur on the next generation to surpass his achievements.

I'd love to be wrong and cheer on Kobay to become WDC but I think - on balance - probably not.

[JackTimQSR]

Best rookie of 2010. However, he isn't blowing away Pedro who isn't stellar.

Wait and see.

Disagree about Pedro but I like Koba and I think he could contend for the title one day. I don't think he'll win a title but he's a nice guy so I wish him well

[sleepergun]

I like him. I like his style. And once he can better control his aggression, who knows where he might go in the future? Most of the greats drove for backmarkers at one point (Hamilton is really an exception to the rule). I don't see him landing at Ferrari or McLaren anytime soon. But let's say he could get a drive with Renault. What then? And if he did well there, who knows what that might bring?

I'm not a "weebo" or an apologist. But I think too often in the past, Japanese drivers have become the clowns of racing because they've often been ill-prepared for the seats that they got: Taki Inoue, Yuji Ide, Tora, Tora, Tora! Takagi, Shiggy "The Human Wrecking Ball" Hattori, King Hiro and now Takuma "Look Out!!!" Sato in the IRL. It would be nice to see Kamui break the stereotype that those guys have helped to support. But still, I'm not cheering for him because he's Japanese. I just think that he's hella fun to watch!

[Donlupedron]

I would definitely disagree that Kam-wee is the best Japan has produced. That honor remains with Takuma Sato.

He was British f3 champion, he won Macau f3 and the f3 masters. He remains the only Japanese driver to have finished on the f1 podium and of you look at his f1 performance in 2004 it was damn excellent, qualifying in the first 7 most of the season and even 2nd at one race.

Kobayashi is spectacular and all that but simply sticking it out there and hoping for the best while also being something of an enfant terrible and many of the drivers see him coming and prepare for his erratic tendency.

I think it is a matter of time until a champion driver emerges from Japan. They have a thriving motor racing environment and the Formula Nippon cars are not only extremely pretty but produces great racing.

Drivers like Jacques Villeneuve and Heinz-Harald Frentzen are also products of the Japanese racing series as they raced there and won and it did them a world of good - and they loved the place. Delicious healthy food, lovely women and such nice cultured people too.

[JackTimQSR]

Just to add, last year's Toyota wan't a bad car at all, it just had a few dodgy races like Monaco.

Didn't they get 5 podiums and a pole or something like that?

[JackTimQSR]

I would definitely disagree that Kam-wee is the best Japan has produced. That honor remains with Takuma Sato.

He was British f3 champion, he won Macau f3 and the f3 masters. He remains the only Japanese driver to have finished on the f1 podium and of you look at his f1 performance in 2004 it was damn excellent, qualifying in the first 7 most of the season and even 2nd at one race.

Kobayashi is spectacular and all that but simply sticking it out there and hoping for the best while also being something of an enfant terrible and many of the drivers see him coming and prepare for his erratic tendency.

I don't see Kobayashi as 'erratic'.

The only questionable thing he's done in F1 was chopping across Nakajima in his first GP at Interlagos. Since then I've not seen anything that compares with Schumacher or even Vettel-type robustness.

Hard, fast and fair is how I would describe his racing style.

[Donlupedron]

I don't see Kobayashi as 'erratic'.

The only questionable thing he's done in F1 was chopping across Nakajima in his first GP at Interlagos. Since then I've not seen anything that compares with Schumacher or even Vettel-type robustness.

Hard, fast and fair is how I would describe his racing style.

How ridiculous is this thread to become, now comparing Kobayashi to Schumi and Vettel.

What silliness, prey, is next? Elevating Chandok to potential replacement for Webber?

[AbeldeldepBug]

I would definitely disagree that Kam-wee is the best Japan has produced. That honor remains with Takuma Sato.

He was British f3 champion, he won Macau f3 and the f3 masters. He remains the only Japanese driver to have finished on the f1 podium and of you look at his f1 performance in 2004 it was damn excellent, qualifying in the first 7 most of the season and even 2nd at one race.

Your boy Sato is having a lovely season in the IRL. He actually leads the league--in crashes. Yesterday he managed to do it all by himself on the first lap. Just sayin'.

[asSexate]

I would definitely disagree that Kam-wee is the best Japan has produced. That honor remains with Takuma Sato.

He was British f3 champion, he won Macau f3 and the f3 masters. He remains the only Japanese driver to have finished on the f1 podium

I think Aguri Suzuki managed a podium in 1990.