Kamui Kobayashi

Kamui Kobayashi (born 13 September 1986) is a Japanese racing driver and team principal who competed in Formula One from 2009 to 2014, remembered for his aggressive, spectacular overtaking moves that earned him cult hero status among fans worldwide, despite scoring only one podium finish from 75 race starts, before finding far greater success in endurance racing where he has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and two FIA World Endurance Championships with Toyota, while also serving as team principal of Toyota's WEC program—a remarkable career arc from F1 nearly-man to endurance racing champion and team leader. Born in Amagasaki, Japan, Kobayashi was named after "Kamuy," a divine being in Ainu mythology, giving him a name that would become synonymous with fearless, audacious racing.

He progressed through karting and Japanese Formula series before moving to Europe to pursue international racing, competing in Formula Renault, Formula Three, and GP2 with solid if unspectacular results that didn't immediately mark him as a future Formula One driver. His breakthrough came through Toyota's Young Driver Programme, which identified his potential and provided testing opportunities. When Timo Glock suffered injuries during qualifying for the 2009 Japanese Grand Prix, Toyota gave Kobayashi his F1 debut at Suzuka before his home crowd—a dream scenario for any Japanese driver. His performance was impressive, finishing 9th and scoring points on debut, and when Glock remained unfit for the following race in Brazil, Kobayashi was retained.

At the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, Kobayashi produced one of modern Formula One's most memorable debut performances, executing a series of audacious, late-braking overtakes that left established drivers incredulous. His fearless lunges into corners, often on the inside line from seemingly impossible positions, produced spectacular wheel-to-wheel racing and earned him instant worldwide recognition as a driver willing to take risks that more conservative competitors wouldn't attempt. He finished 9th again, and his aggressive, entertaining style made him an immediate fan favorite. When Toyota withdrew from Formula One at the end of 2009, Kobayashi's F1 career appeared over before it properly started.

However, Sauber signed him for 2010 to partner Pedro de la Rosa, giving him a full-season opportunity. Over three seasons with Sauber (2010-2012), Kobayashi established himself as one of the grid's most exciting drivers, regularly producing overtakes that seemed physically impossible—his late-braking into tight corners from extreme angles, often with all four wheels locked and smoke pouring from his tires, became his signature move and made him must-watch television. His aggressive style occasionally resulted in contact and criticism from other drivers, but more often produced spectacular passes that delighted fans. The 2011 season showcased Kobayashi's talent: he finished fifth in a chaotic Monaco Grand Prix and drove brilliantly in the rain-soaked Canadian Grand Prix, recovering from 13th to finish second behind Jenson Button in one of F1's most dramatic wet-weather races.

His ability to find grip in impossible conditions and make overtakes in the rain that others wouldn't consider cemented his reputation as a driver of exceptional car control. Kobayashi's finest moment came at the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, his home race. Driving superbly throughout the weekend, he qualified 6th and raced to third place—his first and only Formula One podium—before a delirious home crowd who celebrated Japan's first podium since Takuma Sato's third place in 2004. The result represented the pinnacle of Kobayashi's F1 career, finishing the season 12th in the championship with 60 points and comprehensively outscoring teammate Sergio Pérez across the season.

Despite his strong 2012 performance, Sauber controversially chose not to retain Kobayashi for 2013, opting instead for Nico Hülkenberg and Esteban Gutiérrez. In an unprecedented fan campaign, Kobayashi launched a crowdfunding initiative that raised over €8 million from supporters worldwide hoping to secure his Sauber seat, but the team had already committed to their driver lineup. The decision devastated Kobayashi's fans and ended his realistic hope of remaining in F1 with a competitive team. After a year away from F1 in 2013, Kobayashi returned with Caterham for 2014, partnering Marcus Ericsson in the team's green cars.

However, Caterham was F1's weakest team, chronically underfunded and producing hopelessly uncompetitive cars that rarely finished races. Kobayashi's talent was wasted in machinery that couldn't score points, and when Caterham collapsed financially before season's end, his Formula One career ended at age 28 with one podium from 75 starts—a statistical footnote that utterly fails to capture his impact on the sport and the joy his driving brought to millions of fans. Kobayashi's post-F1 career has been far more successful. He joined Toyota Gazoo Racing's World Endurance Championship program in 2016, partnering Sébastien Buemi and various co-drivers in Toyota's TS050 Hybrid and GR010 Hybrid prototypes.

His aggressive style translated perfectly to endurance racing, where his pace and consistency helped Toyota dominate the WEC through the late 2010s and early 2020s. Kobayashi won the FIA World Endurance Championship drivers' title in 2019-2020 and 2021, and achieved his greatest victory at the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans, winning the legendary race alongside Mike Conway and José María López. During the 2017 Le Mans qualifying, Kobayashi set the fastest lap ever recorded at the Circuit de la Sarthe—3:14.791 at an average speed of 251.

882 km/h—breaking records that had stood for decades and demonstrating his incredible single-lap pace. In December 2021, Toyota promoted Kobayashi to team principal of their WEC program, making him simultaneously a racing driver and team principal—a unique dual role that leverages both his driving talent and his understanding of the team's operations. He continues racing for Toyota while managing the team, achieving success in both capacities and establishing himself as a leader in endurance racing. Kamui Kobayashi's legacy is that of a driver too talented and too entertaining for his limited Formula One success to define—his aggressive, spectacular overtaking moves made him one of the 21st century's most exciting F1 drivers despite just one podium, while his subsequent WEC championships and Le Mans victory proved his talent was genuine and that given competitive equipment, he could become a world champion in the form of motorsport that suited his fearless, endurance-focused skillset.