Kamui Kobayashi will spend the Spa-Francorchamps weekend out of the cockpit and assessing the potential 'lack of harmony' in his racing life. Although still under contract to Caterham, the team's new management has sidelined the popular Japanese for at least the Belgian grand prix in favour of 32-year-old F1 rookie and reigning Le Mans winner Andre Lotterer.
"It's a shame not to drive Spa," Kobayashi told his more than 150,000 Twitter followers. "I feel sorry for all my supporters but this is motor sports -- I hope not!" Able to bring little to the table for the increasingly sponsorship-minded new Caterham chiefs, Kobayashi has earlier lamented the increasing power of the 'pay driver' but also life at the back of the grid in 2014.
Asked in Hungary recently if the uncompetitive Caterham is giving him the tools to showcase his famously attacking style, he admitted: "Not really! It's not really happy but I need to hope that one day I'm going to make something, a really exciting race. A 'train' race is not really exciting," he said.
Now, after his ousting, Kobayashi posted a Leonardo da Vinci quote to his Twitter followers in Japanese. In English, the quote is: "Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer. Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller and more of it can be taken in at a glance and a lack of harmony and proportion is more readily seen," the fabled Italian painter had said.
Caterham's decision to axe Kobayashi has been criticised by former team technical boss Mike Gascoyne, who is still involved in the wider Tony Fernandes-led Caterham Group. "Such a shame that Kamui is not driving for Caterham at Spa," the Briton said on Twitter. "He was their only hope of regaining tenth place but (the decision is) typical of the new management." (GMM)
It's a shame not to drive in Belgium - Kobayashi
- Published on 21 Aug 2014 16:23
-
0
- By: Rob Veenstra
.
Trending news
-
Antonelli admits Mercedes has lost its speed advantageAndrea Kimi Antonelli has confirmed what Mercedes feared: the team no longer has the fastest car on the grid. Speakin...
25 Aug 2026 16:11 -
Steiner's stark warning to Russell: top team days could be overGeorge Russell faces intense scrutiny after being told by Guenther Steiner that he must improve immediately or risk e...
25 Aug 2026 15:09 -
Why Alonso rates Verstappen above Schumacher as his greatest rivalFernando Alonso has named Max Verstappen the best competitor he has ever faced on track, placing the Red Bull driver ...
25 Aug 2026 14:08 -
Why Toto Wolff believes Max Verstappen's new Red Bull contract ends the 2025 silly seasonToto Wolff believes the driver market has effectively closed after Max Verstappen committed his future to Red Bull Ra...
25 Aug 2026 12:56 -
Why Wolff isn't worried about Norris repeating Verstappen's comebackToto Wolff has played down the threat posed by Lando Norris's closing title deficit, pointing to Max Verstappen&#...
25 Aug 2026 11:55
Dutch Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Dutch Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
Test calendar
Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
-
Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
-
-
-
Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
-
-
-
Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
-
-
-
Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
-
-
-
Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
-
-
-
Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
-
-
-
Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
-
-
Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
-
-
Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
-
-
World Championship standings 2026
Pos
Driver
Team
Points
Pos
Team
Points
Related news
Give your opinion!
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
-
Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Replies (0)
Login to reply