Q+A with Kamui Kobayashi

Sauber F1 Team driver Kamui Kobayashi has the first full season in Formula One under his belt. Here is how the 24-year-old Japanese reviews it and how he will spend his time preparing for the upcoming 2011 season.

How would you summarise your season? “We had a lot of ups and downs, but overall we had a good season. In the beginning we were struggling a lot. This was a pretty bad time. It was hard, and it was very difficult to recover from this situation during the season, because nowadays there is no testing. Despite this, towards the end of the season we were much stronger. The team did a great job to recover from this and I want to thank them for all their work.”

In which area did you improve the most? “In every area. This is how it has to be, especially if you are a rookie.”

What was the best moment of 2010 for you? “I think I had an interesting race in Japan. It was a very nice moment for me and for the Japanese fans.”

Which was the worst experience? “That was when I crashed on the first lap of the Canadian Grand Prix.”

What is your secret for overtaking? “Because I am Japanese I have small eyes – so I can’t see the others guys.”

…and seriously? “If I feel I can overtake I just do it. That’s all, no secret.”

What do you want to achieve in 2011? “My personal aim is to make zero mistakes. For the team I hope we will have a good car, and be able to fight for points on a regular basis to improve our position in the championship.”

What will you do in the winter break? “I have some appointments in Japan and I will be returning to Abu Dhabi soon for the opening ceremony of the Ferrari World. I will also spend two weeks on holiday in Bali and, of course, I will be training. But in terms of fitness training, it helps that nowadays we have more time during the season to exercise because it is also very important to be able to do this consistently.”

If you had a free wish – what would it be? “This is an easy one to answer. In Japanese Mangas there is a kind of ‘where-do-you-want-to-go-to’ door. You decide where you would want to go, step through this special door and you are there. This would be a great thing to have – I could have a beautiful house anywhere in the world, maybe on a nice island, and sleep there every night!”