KAMUI KOBAYASHI

Kamui Kobayashi is a racing driver; he has won the GP2 Asia Series and raced in Formula One from 2009 and 2012 for Toyota and Sauber. In 2013 it was announced that Kobayashi would drive in the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship. Kobayashi recognises the need for on-going charity work and seeks to raise money in particular to support those affected by the earthquakes and tsunami of 2011 as “the destruction in the country is so serious that it will take many years to recover from the losses and damage, so the people in Japan need long-term support.” In an interview given to the Official Formula 1 Championship website Kamui Kobayashi stated that he admired people who are involved in charity, engaged in training others and are where they are needed.

Praise for Kamui Kobayashi

"In 2012 Kobayashi raised $19,000 for earthquake and tsunami victims in January by auctioning his crash helmet. The helmet was specially designed for last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix and was offered by for auction on behalf of Music for Relief. Kobayashi took part in Zoom, which asked all the drivers and team principals in Formula 1 to take photographs which could then be signed and put up for auction. All proceeds of the auction went to Great Ormond Street Hospital. In 2011 Kobayashi devised a charity mobile phone application raising funds for Japan following the devastating earthquakes and tsunami of the same year. The ‘You Are Connected’ app features contributions from every Formula One driver and team principal and all proceeds from the app go to Red Cross in Japan. In 2012 the Good Smile Company created a series of special edition charity products to raise money for those affected by the earthquakes and tsunami, one of set of these products was a Kamui doll with a pullback F1 race car."