Peter Sauber praises that Kamui Kobayashi earned his team seat with his own performances.– Kamui is the first Japanese driver who is in a F1-team without the support of sponsors. He is in F1 because of his talent, Sauber tells.
Sauber still remembers how big the risk he took was when he hired Kimi Räikkönen straight from Formula Renault 2000 -serie to F1-level.
– Kobayashi is the only young driver I wanted to my team without hesitating for a moment, Sauber emphasizes.
Of course Räikkönen was the one who made the biggest impact on Sauber.
– It wasn't just the laptimes that influenced me, it was Kimi's attitude to the team which was something completely special. Kimi doesn't talk unless he has to. All he has is his body language but his attitude speak for itself.
– When the team told him to drive 5 laps in his first test in Mugello he came in after 4 laps and said that he cannot put more strain on his neck. Kimi immediately showed that he is able to lead different operations.
– In the end of the second testing day the engineers sent him out with a small amount of fuel and new tyres without telling him about it. Of course Kimi noticed it and drove exactly the laptimes the engineers had calculated he would be able to drive. Kimi could immediately utilize every possibilities like he would have been a top driver for years.
Sauber reminded that he chose Räikkönen even though Red Bull's Helmut Marko put pressure on him to choose Enrique Bernoldi.
– I didn't change my mind and now very much later I can say that Red Bull seems to have found only one young driver (Sebastian Vettel) who also first drove for us in BMW Sauber.
Turun Sanomat
HEIKKI KULTA
Courtesy: Nicole
