Kamui Kobayashi withdraws for 2013

While Romain Grosjean returns to Lotus, Kamui Kobayashi gives up. The Japanese driver, who was replaced at Sauber after the arrivals of Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Gutiérrez, will not be in Formula 1 next year. Japanese announced it on Kamui-Support in a message addressed to his fans, who mobilized in numbers to try to save the future of the driver in the premier category, in particular by sending him nearly 1,6 million euros in donations.

“Thank you all for your great support. I really appreciated that so many of you donated or tried to do something”, writes the former Sauber driver. “I should mention that since the quest started, this has become big news in Japan. And thanks to your support, it influenced some Japanese companies and I started to receive support from them”.

“I was in a position to provide a budget of at least 8 million euros (1,6 million donations, plus aid received from Japanese companies, editor’s note), announces Kamui Kobayashi. "Unfortunately, I did not have enough time and am not able to secure a seat in a competitive Formula 1 team in 2013. I must admit that it is very sad and I am sorry to all my fans and the Japanese companies that supported me. But I am still confident to make my return in 2014.” Author of his first podium this year, in front of his audience during the Japanese Grand Prix, Kamui Kobayashi specifies that he is, for the moment, not interested in other categories.