Kamui Kobayashi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kamui Kobayashi
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| 小林可夢偉 | |||||||
Kobayashi at the 2024 6 Hours of Fuji
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| Born | 13 September 1986 Amagasaki, Hyōgo, Japan
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| Employer |
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| Title | Team Principal | ||||||
| FIA World Endurance Championship career | |||||||
| Debut season | 2013 | ||||||
| Current team | Toyota | ||||||
| Racing licence |  FIA Platinum |
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| Former teams | AF Corse | ||||||
| Starts | 69 | ||||||
| Championships | 2 (2019–20, 2021) | ||||||
| Wins | 17 | ||||||
| Podiums | 46 | ||||||
| Poles | 20 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 14 | ||||||
| Best finish | 1st in 2019–20 (LMP1), 2021 (LMH) | ||||||
| Formula One World Championship career | |||||||
| Nationality |  Japanese |
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| Active years | 2009–2012, 2014 | ||||||
| Teams | Toyota, BMW Sauber, Sauber, Caterham | ||||||
| Car number | 10 | ||||||
| Entries | 76 (75 starts) | ||||||
| Championships | 0 | ||||||
| Wins | 0 | ||||||
| Podiums | 1 | ||||||
| Career points | 125 | ||||||
| Pole positions | 0 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 1 | ||||||
| First entry | 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix | ||||||
| Last entry | 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | ||||||
| Super Formula career | |||||||
| Debut season | 2011 | ||||||
| Current team | KCMG | ||||||
| Car no. | 7 | ||||||
| Former teams | Le Mans | ||||||
| Starts | 70 | ||||||
| Wins | 0 | ||||||
| Podiums | 7 | ||||||
| Poles | 0 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 5 | ||||||
| Best finish | 6th in 2015, 2019 | ||||||
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |||||||
| Years | 2013, 2016–2024 | ||||||
| Teams | AF Corse, Toyota | ||||||
| Best finish | 1st (2021) | ||||||
| Class wins | 1 (2021) | ||||||
| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 2 races run over 2 years | |||||||
| 2024 position | 41st | ||||||
| Best finish | 41st | ||||||
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| Previous series | |||||||
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| Championship titles | |||||||
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Kamui Kobayashi (Japanese: 小林可夢偉, Hepburn: Kobayashi Kamui, born 13 September 1986) is a Japanese racing driver and a leader in motorsport. He races in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Toyota and in Super Formula for KCMG. Kamui also competed in Formula One from 2009 to 2014.
In endurance racing, Kamui has won two FIA World Endurance Championship titles. He also won the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2021 with Toyota. He is a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona race in 2019 and 2020. Since 2022, Kamui has been the team boss for Toyota in the WEC. Under his leadership, Toyota has won three World Manufacturers' Championship titles in a row.
Kamui is the third Japanese driver to win an FIA world championship. He was also the third Asian-born driver to get on the podium in a Formula One race. This happened at the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix.
Contents
Kamui's Early Racing Career
Starting in Karting
Kamui Kobayashi was born in Amagasaki, Japan. His father owned a sushi restaurant. Kamui started his racing journey in 1996 when he was just nine years old. In his first season of karting, he finished third. Over the next seven years, he won four karting titles. He even won the Toyota SL All Japan Tournament Cadet Class series twice.
Moving to Open-Wheel Racing
In 2004, Kamui joined Toyota's Driver Academy. Soon after, he began racing in open-wheel cars. He competed in Formula Renault championships in Asia, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. He won two races in the Italian championship. The next year, he continued in Formula Renault, winning both the Italian and European championships with six victories.
In 2006, Kamui raced in the Formula 3 Euro Series. He finished on the podium three times and placed eighth overall. He also won the Rookie's Championship. Kamui competed in the Macau Grand Prix and the Masters of Formula 3. He started on pole position at the Macau Grand Prix but finished 19th.
In 2007, Kamui became a test driver for the Toyota Formula One team. He continued in the Euro Series, winning his first Formula 3 race at Magny-Cours. He finished fourth in the Drivers' Championship that year.
Racing in GP2 Series
After doing well in the GP2 Asia Series in early 2008, Kamui won his first GP2 Series race. He started from pole position and took the win in the sprint race at the Circuit de Catalunya. He also won the GP2 Asia championship in 2008–2009, winning two races.
Kamui's Formula One Journey (2009–2014)
Joining Toyota F1 Team
On November 16, 2007, Kamui was named the third driver for the Toyota F1 team. He worked as a test and reserve driver during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
2009 Season Highlights
At the 2009 Japanese Grand Prix, Kamui drove in practice sessions because Timo Glock was unwell. He made his official Formula One debut at the 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix. He qualified 11th in a very messy session due to heavy rain. During the race, he bravely held off Jenson Button, who was trying to win the world championship. Kamui finished ninth after a penalty to another driver. Button joked that Kamui was "absolutely crazy, very aggressive."
Kamui also raced in the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He qualified 12th and finished sixth, earning his first World Championship points. Many expected him to get a full-time seat at Toyota for 2010. However, Toyota decided to leave Formula One.
Racing for Sauber (2010–2012)
2010 Season with Sauber
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After Toyota left F1, Kamui's future was uncertain. But on December 17, 2009, it was confirmed he would drive for Sauber in 2010. His teammate was Pedro de la Rosa.
Kamui had some tough races early on, including a crash in Australia and engine trouble in Malaysia. He was the only driver to retire from the first four races. In Turkey, he scored his first points of the season, finishing tenth. In Valencia, he finished seventh, passing two drivers in the final laps. He continued to score points in Britain, Hungary, and Belgium.
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In Japan, he finished seventh, making impressive overtakes. He ended the season with 32 points. Many experts praised his aggressive and skilled overtaking style.
2011 Season with Sauber
Kamui stayed with Sauber in 2011, with new teammate Sergio Pérez. He finished eighth in the first race in Australia, but was later disqualified. In Malaysia, he finished seventh. He scored points in his next three races. He achieved a career-best fifth place at the Monaco Grand Prix. In a very wet Canadian Grand Prix, he finished seventh after starting 13th.
2012 Season with Sauber
Kamui continued with Sauber in 2012. He started the season with a sixth-place finish in Australia. He qualified third at the Chinese Grand Prix and set the fastest lap. At the Spanish Grand Prix, he finished fifth.
He achieved his best-ever Formula One finish with fourth place at the German Grand Prix. He qualified a career-best second for the Belgian Grand Prix but was involved in a first-corner accident.
Kamui made history at the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix by finishing third. This was his first Formula One podium! He became the first Japanese driver to finish on a Formula One podium in Japan in 22 years.
On November 23, 2012, Sauber announced that Kamui would not be part of their team for the 2013 season. He finished the season in 12th place with 60 points.
Endurance Racing and Return to F1
WEC Debut with AF Corse (2013)
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In 2013, Kamui joined AF Corse to race in the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship season. He competed in the LMGTE-Pro class with a Ferrari 458 GT. This included the famous 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans race, where his team finished fifth in class.
Return to Formula One with Caterham (2014)
On January 21, 2014, Kamui returned to Formula One with the Caterham F1 team. At the first race in Australia, he crashed due to brake failure. However, in Malaysia, he ran as high as eighth place. He finished 13th, helping Caterham move up in the team standings. Later in the season, he was replaced for one race but returned for the Italian Grand Prix.
Super Formula and WEC Success
Racing in Japan: Super Formula and Super GT
Super Formula
In 2015, Kamui started racing in the Super Formula series for Team LeMans. He earned three podium finishes and ended the year in fifth place. He later moved to KCMG in 2017 and has achieved four second-place podiums with them.
Super GT
Kamui also raced in the Super GT series. He made his debut in 2017 and raced a full season in 2018 with Team SARD, winning one race.
Becoming a WEC Champion with Toyota Gazoo Racing (2016–Present)
In 2016, Kamui joined Toyota Gazoo Racing as a driver in the FIA World Endurance Championship. He won his first WEC race at the 2016 6 Hours of Fuji.
In 2017, he set the fastest-ever lap record at the Circuit de la Sarthe during the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Kamui finally won the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans after many attempts, starting from pole position. He won with his teammates Mike Conway and Jose Maria Lopez. He is the fourth Japanese driver to win this famous race.
In December 2021, Toyota announced that Kamui would become the team principal (team boss) for their WEC program. He now combines this leadership role with his driving duties.
NASCAR Debut (2023)
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On June 7, 2023, it was announced that Kamui would make his debut in the NASCAR Cup Series. He drove for 23XI Racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, finishing 33rd. He returned to NASCAR in 2024, racing at Circuit of the Americas and finishing 29th.
Personal Life
Kamui's name comes from Kamuy, a divine being in Ainu mythology. The letters in his name are chosen to sound like "Enabling great dream(s)". In April 2013, he received the Outstanding Achievement in Sport Award at The Asian Awards in London.
Images for kids
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Kobayashi driving for DAMS at the Nürburgring round of the 2009 GP2 Series season
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Kobayashi filling in for Timo Glock during practice for the 2009 Japanese Grand Prix
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Kobayashi driving for Sauber at the 2010 Australian Grand Prix
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Kobayashi became another victim of the "Wall of Champions" at the 2010 Canadian Grand Prix
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Kobayashi at the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix
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Kobayashi during pre-season testing at Jerez
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Kobayashi driving for Sauber at the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix
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Kobayashi at the 2012 United States Grand Prix
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Kobayashi's Ferrari 458 GT during the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans
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Kobayashi at the 2014 Singapore Grand Prix
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Kobayashi driving in the 2018 6 Hours of Silverstone
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Kobayashi driving in the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard
See also
In Spanish: Kamui Kobayashi para niños
