Kaltenborn: “Maybe we need to change things”

During an interview given to the official website of the Formula 1, Kaltenborn returned to the departure of Kobayashi of Sauber and the mass arrival of so-called "paying" drivers on the 2013 grid: “When Kamui arrived here, he had no sponsors, nothing. But we were convinced of his talent, and he was a good choice for us. He showed excellent performances with us, his podium at Suzuka was quite an emotional affair, he got the crowd moving in a way I had never seen before. He was a great driver, with a very good team spirit, it is very surprising that such a pleasant driver did not manage to find support in a nation that loves motorsport as much as Japan . This should be seen as a warning, maybe we need to change things.”

Monisha Kaltenborn also defended the status of “paid driver”: “We see that many partners or sponsors support drivers from their beginnings. Sergio Perez is a good example. He was part of the Team Telmex which is a flight school. They have supported him since his beginnings, and it is natural that, when he reaches the pinnacle of motorsport, they also support him. » However, she admitted that solutions had to be found so that less fortunate drivers could also reach F1.