Halfway through Lap 26 of the British Grand Prix will mark the central point of the 2010 Formula 1 season. Before visiting a new-look Silverstone, GPUpdate.net reviews each driver’s performances, including highs and lows, from the first nine races of a highly dramatic championship.
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Think of Kamui Kobayashi and you think of his outrageously exciting passing manoeuvres in Brazil and Abu Dhabi last year, don’t you? You can add Valencia 2010 to that list too, now. The first half of the Japanese driver’s first full F1 season has been extremely difficult though and, sadly, more of the same is likely.
What we mustn’t forget is that both Kobayashi and team-mate de la Rosa are, in many ways, going to be fighting a losing battle all year long. BMW departed last season and left former team owner Peter Sauber with not only a hell of a job on his hands but also an unfinished racing car – a car which the Hinwil squad has had neither time nor funds to develop much further. So, it’s damage limitation at its finest.
Many have criticised Kobayashi although, when he’s been able to score, he has – in Turkey and Valencia, seizing the most of strategic and overtaking opportunities. It is true, though, that mistakes are still being made - but has there ever been a rookie from Japan which that particular characteristic doesn’t apply to?
Kamui must be credited for his work, even if it doesn’t always show on the surface. Sauber are up against a brick wall this season, in terms of pace and - quite frankly - dreadful car unreliability, but making the most of chances while avoiding unforced errors plus Q1 knock-outs will certainly help when it comes to improving driver credibility.
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Highlight: Consistent and defensive drive in Valencia is topped off by brilliant, opportunistic passes on Alonso’s Ferrari and Buemi’s Toro Rosso on the way to much-deserved seventh place
Lowlight: Front wing comes loose after first-lap contact in Melbourne, resulting in a heavy Turn 6 collision with Hülkenberg from which both drivers were fortunate to walk away
Championship position: 13th (120 points off lead)
Grid positions: 16-16-9-15-10-16-10-18-18
Average grid position: 14th
Finishing positions: R-R-R-R-12-R-10-R-7
Average finishing position: 19th
Retirements: 6 (Bahrain – hydraulics, Australia – nasty opening lap shunt with Hülkenberg due to broken wing, Malaysia – engine blow whilst running 11th, China – taken out by rearward Liuzzi, who first hits Buemi, Monaco – gearbox jams whilst running 6th, Canada – hits Wall of Champions whilst battling with Hülkenberg)
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