Recent from talks
Kamui Kobayashi
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Kamui Kobayashi
Kamui Kobayashi (Japanese: 小林 可夢偉, Hepburn: Kobayashi Kamui; born 13 September 1986) is a Japanese racing driver and motorsport executive who competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Toyota and in Super Formula for KCMG. Kobayashi competed in Formula One from 2009 to 2014. In endurance racing, Kobayashi has won two FIA World Endurance Championship titles and is a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2021 and 2026, all with Toyota. He is also a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2019 and 2020 with WTR. Since 2022, Kobayashi has served as team principal of Toyota in WEC, winning three consecutive World Manufacturers' Championship titles from 2022 to 2024.
Kobayashi also serves as team principal for Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe for their FIA World Endurance Championship team. Kobayashi previously competed in Formula One, Formula E, the GP2 Series, and the GP2 Asia Series. He became champion of the FIA World Endurance Championship alongside co-drivers Mike Conway and José María López in the 2019–20 season and in 2021, where he also won the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Kobayashi is the third FIA world champion from Japan after Toshi Arai and Kazuki Nakajima, and became the third Asian-born driver after countrymen Aguri Suzuki and Takuma Satō to score a Formula One podium finish, doing so at the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix for Sauber.
Kobayashi was born in Amagasaki in Hyōgo Prefecture, near Kobe. His father owns a sushi restaurant. He began his career in motorsport in 1996 when he was nine years old, finishing third in his first season of karting in the SL Takarazuka Tournament Cadet Class. During the following seven years, Kobayashi took four karting titles, winning the Toyota SL All Japan Tournament Cadet Class series twice.[citation needed]
In 2004, Kobayashi signed for Toyota's Driver Academy and soon began his career in open wheel racing. His next step was Formula Renault, entering the Asian, German, Italian and Dutch championships and taking two race victories in the Italian championship. Kobayashi continued in the Formula Renault class, entering the Italian and European championships and with six wins in both championships, he won both titles.[citation needed]
In 2006, Kobayashi entered the Formula 3 Euro Series with ASM Formule 3 alongside Paul di Resta, Giedo van der Garde and Sebastian Vettel. He took three podium positions in his debut season, coming eighth in the Drivers' Championship and first in the Rookie's Championship. Kobayashi also entered the Macau Grand Prix and the Masters of Formula 3, which are annual Formula Three events. Kobayashi started in tenth place and finished the race a place lower in 11th, while at the Macau Grand Prix, he started the race in pole position but finished in 19th place.[citation needed]
At the beginning of 2007, Kobayashi, along with Kōhei Hirate, was named as one of the Toyota Formula One team's test drivers. He stayed in the Euro Series for the upcoming season and had an impressive start, taking two podiums in the first four rounds. He achieved his first race victory in Formula 3 at Magny-Cours, in the tenth round, a support race for the Formula One French Grand Prix. Kobayashi finished fourth in the Drivers' Championship.[citation needed]
Following a successful GP2 Asia Series campaign in early 2008, Kobayashi won his first GP2 Series race in only the second race of the season. After a strong start from pole in the sprint race at the Circuit de Catalunya, Kobayashi took the chequered flag in first place. This was after a controversial piece of defensive driving from his former Euro Series teammate Romain Grosjean after a safety car period. At the end of the pit straight, Kobayashi attempted a pass on Grosjean. However, the Frenchman moved more than once to defend his position, forcing Kobayashi into evasive action. This resulted in a drive through penalty for the Frenchman, handing the win to Kobayashi. However, he only finished in the points on one further occasion, restricting him to sixteenth in the championship.
Hub AI
Kamui Kobayashi AI simulator
(@Kamui Kobayashi_simulator)
Kamui Kobayashi
Kamui Kobayashi (Japanese: 小林 可夢偉, Hepburn: Kobayashi Kamui; born 13 September 1986) is a Japanese racing driver and motorsport executive who competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Toyota and in Super Formula for KCMG. Kobayashi competed in Formula One from 2009 to 2014. In endurance racing, Kobayashi has won two FIA World Endurance Championship titles and is a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2021 and 2026, all with Toyota. He is also a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2019 and 2020 with WTR. Since 2022, Kobayashi has served as team principal of Toyota in WEC, winning three consecutive World Manufacturers' Championship titles from 2022 to 2024.
Kobayashi also serves as team principal for Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe for their FIA World Endurance Championship team. Kobayashi previously competed in Formula One, Formula E, the GP2 Series, and the GP2 Asia Series. He became champion of the FIA World Endurance Championship alongside co-drivers Mike Conway and José María López in the 2019–20 season and in 2021, where he also won the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Kobayashi is the third FIA world champion from Japan after Toshi Arai and Kazuki Nakajima, and became the third Asian-born driver after countrymen Aguri Suzuki and Takuma Satō to score a Formula One podium finish, doing so at the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix for Sauber.
Kobayashi was born in Amagasaki in Hyōgo Prefecture, near Kobe. His father owns a sushi restaurant. He began his career in motorsport in 1996 when he was nine years old, finishing third in his first season of karting in the SL Takarazuka Tournament Cadet Class. During the following seven years, Kobayashi took four karting titles, winning the Toyota SL All Japan Tournament Cadet Class series twice.[citation needed]
In 2004, Kobayashi signed for Toyota's Driver Academy and soon began his career in open wheel racing. His next step was Formula Renault, entering the Asian, German, Italian and Dutch championships and taking two race victories in the Italian championship. Kobayashi continued in the Formula Renault class, entering the Italian and European championships and with six wins in both championships, he won both titles.[citation needed]
In 2006, Kobayashi entered the Formula 3 Euro Series with ASM Formule 3 alongside Paul di Resta, Giedo van der Garde and Sebastian Vettel. He took three podium positions in his debut season, coming eighth in the Drivers' Championship and first in the Rookie's Championship. Kobayashi also entered the Macau Grand Prix and the Masters of Formula 3, which are annual Formula Three events. Kobayashi started in tenth place and finished the race a place lower in 11th, while at the Macau Grand Prix, he started the race in pole position but finished in 19th place.[citation needed]
At the beginning of 2007, Kobayashi, along with Kōhei Hirate, was named as one of the Toyota Formula One team's test drivers. He stayed in the Euro Series for the upcoming season and had an impressive start, taking two podiums in the first four rounds. He achieved his first race victory in Formula 3 at Magny-Cours, in the tenth round, a support race for the Formula One French Grand Prix. Kobayashi finished fourth in the Drivers' Championship.[citation needed]
Following a successful GP2 Asia Series campaign in early 2008, Kobayashi won his first GP2 Series race in only the second race of the season. After a strong start from pole in the sprint race at the Circuit de Catalunya, Kobayashi took the chequered flag in first place. This was after a controversial piece of defensive driving from his former Euro Series teammate Romain Grosjean after a safety car period. At the end of the pit straight, Kobayashi attempted a pass on Grosjean. However, the Frenchman moved more than once to defend his position, forcing Kobayashi into evasive action. This resulted in a drive through penalty for the Frenchman, handing the win to Kobayashi. However, he only finished in the points on one further occasion, restricting him to sixteenth in the championship.
Recent media