Kobyashi to Renault and bringing €30mil Panasonic sponsorship?

NathanE · 23 Nov 2009 at 11:14

http://renault-f1.fr/Kamui-Kobayashi-chez-Renault-en
http://forum.planet-f1.com/index.php?t=msg&th=81634&start=0&

Fr0dders · 23 Nov 2009 at 11:16

i sure hope so

he put in too good a drive last season to be ignored this year

Flibster · 23 Nov 2009 at 11:24

Would be great to see him in 2010.
Certainly interesting that Panasonic are following him - I suppose that $30million is a good incentive for people to sign him. Also, Renault were looking for a $30million investment to keep in F1 iirc.

Guerrilla · 23 Nov 2009 at 11:24

I hope so too!

Would very much like to see him driving next year.

rpstewart · 23 Nov 2009 at 11:26

Interesting...

We know Renault are looking for sponsors and while Kobyashi has made the odd mistake he hasn't made any more than Grosjean and seems a fair bit quicker.

I wonder how this fits with the other rumour than the team may end up as Nissan rather than Renault at some point.

Smit · 23 Nov 2009 at 11:29

Well not sure if Renault is a good place to be but glad if he gets a drive for the coming season

Firestar_3x · 23 Nov 2009 at 11:50

Woohoo, Kobyashi is the sort of nutter i can get along with

ZG002 · 23 Nov 2009 at 11:54

If I had to pick 3 people I wanted in F1 next year he would have been in the list.

Crazy guy. Love watching him

Matteysan · 23 Nov 2009 at 13:05

Really hope Kobyashi gets his drive for next season, One of the few new drivers that have impressed me

Alex UK · 23 Nov 2009 at 13:19

I really hope he gets a drive next season, he's too good to just fade away.

howler · 23 Nov 2009 at 14:39

I'm sure I heard somewhere that if he doesn't get a drive he will be going back to working in his Dad's sushi bar!

pingwing · 23 Nov 2009 at 17:50

Wow, second or 3rd best place for him to go!

I would have personally liked him to be under the winds of an established master of F1, probably under Rubens at williams as someone like that would help him a lot, but getting Renult afloat and given Kubicas need for a team mate to really keep him on his toes (last year he only did a few good drives after nick really put it to him)

Means they'll be my second team of next year (behind williams and merc if MS comes back...)

hiroofheroes · 23 Nov 2009 at 19:17

I always thought Panasonic only sponsored Toyota as it was essentially payment in kind for all the business Toyota give them.

So Panasonic actually sponsoring Renault out of their own pocket seems a little off - unless Toyota have kindly asked them to support 'their' Japanese talent.

smr · 23 Nov 2009 at 19:43

Yes it would be a real shame to not see him next year, the guy is a nutter

alex24 · 23 Nov 2009 at 19:46

Good to have someone to stir things up. I would say F1 was getting stale with less and less daring overtakes, but this season was very good despite that, thanks a lot to Button actually. Next season should be great.

Fr0dders · 23 Nov 2009 at 20:10

i think he'll end up being regarded as a modern day james hunt, provided he doesnt get forced to toe the corporate line too much.

Thomas. PLease. · 23 Nov 2009 at 20:37

MrLOL said:
i think he'll end up being regarded as a modern day james hunt, provided he doesnt get forced to toe the corporate line too much.

calm down. We've only seen him race 2 formula 1 races. And in one of those he caused a pretty huge accident.

Fr0dders · 23 Nov 2009 at 20:41

Thomas. PLease. said:
calm down. We've only seen him race 2 formula 1 races. And in one of those he caused a pretty huge accident.

maybe not in achievement sense

but certainly in his attitude towards F1.

kaiowas · 23 Nov 2009 at 22:24

Not really a big fan of Renault but a pairing of Kubica and Kobayashi would have me rooting for them next season.

el_dazza · 24 Nov 2009 at 16:32

Firestar_3x said:
Woohoo, Kobyashi is the sort of nutter i can get along with

You were a Sato fan then?