Kamui Kobayashi’s Suzuka podium finish is the first for a Japanese driver in Formula 1 since Takuma Sato at Indianapolis in 2004. Following the race on Sunday, the Sauber man admitted that it could have a significant bearing on his career.
“Thank you very much to everyone,” he said on the podium. “Everybody knows this is my first podium – and in Japan. It is fantastic and unbelievable.”
Later on in the afternoon, Kobayashi was asked by Sky Sports whether he was driving for his career, with no Sauber deal yet in place for 2013.
“Yes, of course,” he said, “but sometimes I need pressure – not too much, but there was a lot over the last ten laps!”
At the finish line, Kobayashi was just half a second ahead of Jenson Button’s McLaren which had rapid pace following earlier gearbox problems.
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| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  S. Vettel | Red Bull | 1:28:56.242 |
| 2. | F. Massa | Ferrari | +20.639 |
| 3. | K. Kobayashi | Sauber | +24.538 |
| 4. | J. Button | McLaren | +25.098 |
| 5. | L. Hamilton | McLaren | +46.490 |
| 6. | K. Raikkonen | Lotus | +50.424 |
| 7. | N. Hulkenberg | Force India | +51.159 |
| 8. | P. Maldonado | Williams | +52.364 |
| 9. | M. Webber | Red Bull | +54.675 |
| 10. | D. Ricciardo | Toro Rosso | +1:06.919 |
| Full results | |||
| Kamui Kobayashi | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| More Kamui Kobayashi photos | |||
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