Zoom The Paris resident getting his F1 break in '08

With Kazuke Nakajima moving on to the race seat at Williams Toyota this year, Kamui Kobayashi is determined to show well in his new role with the Toyota F1 team…

What are your feelings on becoming a Formula One driver?
“It is very exciting to become a third driver in Formula One but I know there is a lot of work to do. When I moved to Europe to start racing single-seaters my ambition was to one day become a Formula One driver and it feels great to say I am now a Formula One driver. It will be a challenge for me but I will always do my best. I will work hard on improving the car but also on improving myself because I do not have a lot of Formula One experience and I can get better in the way I communicate to my engineers and things like that. We all want to make a really good car and we are working hard to achieve that this year.”

What is your impression of the team?
“My impression of the team is very positive because everybody here is very professional and works really hard. They are so determined to be successful and I am pleased to be part of that. I have never been in such a professional team in my life so I am very happy to work here.”

How was the test in December for you?
“The test went well and I was happy with my two days in the car. I hadn’t tested a Formula One car for around a year so it was a good chance to become familiar with all the systems, as well as adjusting to more power and grip. The car felt good and we didn’t have any trouble. I did more than 200 laps over two days so it was hard work and quite intense but that should really help me for the start of this year’s testing.”

How do you see your role as third driver?
“My role is to help the team develop the car as much as possible. I think it is quite an important role because development in Formula One never stops and you have to constantly improve if you are to be competitive.”

What makes a Formula One car so special?
“It’s like GP2 but more! Everything is just more extreme and it is a special experience to drive a Formula One car. It is difficult to drive at the limit of the car, at the limit of grip and at the limit of your concentration – it requires a high level of performance.”

Are you excited to be racing in GP2?
“It is exciting because it is a competitive championship and the first time I will be racing a really big, powerful car. Compared to a Formula 3 car, a GP2 car has a lot more horsepower and grip so that is a big change for me. I know it will be a challenge in my first season but I expect to be competitive and I hope to succeed.”