Kamui Kobayashi poses with the Ferrari F10 before his test at FioranoWith Felipe Massa recovering from two huge shunts he suffered during the Monaco GP weekend, it is no surprise that Ferrari appear to be priming Kamui Kokayashi to step into the F138 cockpit in Canada should the need arise.
On Monday the Fiorano track was the scene of Kamui Kobayashi’s first drive at the wheel of a Ferrari Formula 1 car, the F10 with which the Maranello team competed in the World Championship three years ago. Kobayashi has been part of the Ferrari family since March, flying the Prancing Horse flag in GT races.
Kobayashi didn’t take long to get to grips with the car in what was a preparatory test for when he will drive it in the Moscow City Racing event, which will see the F1 car shoot through the streets of the Russian capital over the weekend of 21 July.
Kamui Kobayashi is part of the Ferrari family“The first feeling was one of great happiness,” commented the Japanese driver after the short test. “I raced against this car and I knew how quick it was, so it was very important to get some experience of it. Last year’s race in Brazil was the last time I drove a Formula 1 car and now I am racing in WEC (World Endurance Championship) in a Ferrari 458 GT and the impressions are completely different. But it wasn’t hard to re-adapt, because in the past, I’ve driven all sorts of cars and I’m used to change.
“It will be very nice to drive an F1 car again at this event in Moscow and for me it will be a double debut: the first time at the wheel of a Ferrari F1 car in an event and my first visit to the city,” added Kobayashi.
Who knows he could be donning Ferrari overalls again in Montreal should Massa not be deemed fit to race. Watch this space.