F1 » Kobayashi eyes Lotus F1 following Toyota exit

Nothing definitive then. Just Kobya stating a preference for lotus.
It would be great if he could get a seat for next year. He certainly shows potential.
Lets hope someone is listerning to him.

I can't understand why Toyota don't want to sell the team on. They'd get some money back on their investment, and stop a load of people becoming unemployed just before Christmas! W**kers!
as for Koba, a Lotus move would be good for him, he needs to stay in F1 next year and keep the momentum going. Still have Trulli as a team mate but that's ok, at least they know each other. Fauzy would then be test driver and have time to get used to an F1 car over the winter, which would be far more beneficial for him than throwing him into a race seat straight away. I heard Sato mentioned as a possible at Lotus, please no! Koba is much better. And faster.

Why would Lotus a Malaysian team want Kobayashi infront of their home grown talent Fauzy. Fauzy has as much experience of an F1 car as Kobayashi Spyker F1 test driver 1000's Kms, his recent performances in WSBR and A1GP are better than Kobayashi, Fauzy finished higher than Kobayashi in GP2 Asia the top driver from the Asia region, Fauzy has achieved all this without the massive Toyota machine behind him. IMO Fauzy should be lead driver and if Gascoyne wants an old head to help out he should be second driver, as for Trulli it must be his old friend Gascoyne helping top up his pension.Glock would surely be a better bet from the out of work Toyota drivers.

@Cardinal
The rumor is that Toyota is looking to absorb some of its workers into the main company, while the Cologne complex would serve Toyota's LMP project

there is an interesting article on another site, where brawn is saying that usf1 (and other new teams) should be crash testing already, but there is nothing to test! it also indirctly implies that usf1 may be interested in "selling" their confirmed entry! oh dear!

Kobayashi probably wants another chance to whup trulli's butt!

Seriously though I can understand why he'd like Lotus.. it looks to be the most promising new team so far. I can also understand Gascoyne wanting 2 experienced drivers (Trulli and Fisi?) to help them develop.

What I cant understand is this new nationalistic trend among teams and fans who say "We have F1 teams representing India, US, Malaysia, Spain etc" so lets put national drivers ahead of better ones. This isn't A1 GP.. Kamui may have been Japanese driving for a Japanese Team, but he'll be more exciting to watch behind a Malaysian Lotus, than Alex Yoong ever would!

Give this guy a decent ride for next year.
He did in two races what Turlli has failed to do in years. EXCITE!

johnson, i must have missed a few races! i didnt see koba winning ANY race this year! but i do agree that he isprobably the best japanese driver to come from the land of the rising sun, bar none.

two feisty races where he had nothing to lose after a career of mostly poor results (gp2 asia excepting)does not a potential f1 driver make. everybody get a grip.what about people who have worked hard to win major feeder catagories like gp2(main series).WSR. Euro F3. National F3. dont they deserve the chance before this man who has been elevated to this level because of his nationality.

@ CarCrazed

If that's true then good. Keep the staff employed - I guess it isn't the right time to be selling an F1 team, especially as there seem to be quite a few available!

Richard I tend to agree, I think USF1 exists only in Peter Windsor's head, and in a few laptops. They do not have a car. WTF is taking them so long - haven't they said they have been working on this for years?
As for the nationalistic trend of the new teams, I can understand it but from a racing perspective they need the best drivers available to help get these teams off the ground and taken seriously. Lotus, USF1 and Campos could employ Fauzy, Summerton and Villa (for example) as reserve/test drivers.