Kamui Kobayashi
thinks he can race in 2013. He says he's talking to a team - no word on who, of course - and he admits it is going to be difficult, but if he gets some money in, then he thinks he might be in with a chance.
I think the only feasible move for Kobayashi is to go to Lotus. Force India have an opening, but they’ve made it know they are lokoing for someone with sponsors. If Kobayashi couldn’t get sponsors together in time for Sauber, then I doubt he could get them together for Force India. Most of the other teams with vacancies are also looking for sponsors (Caterham), are believed to already have drivers lined up (Williams), or face an uncertain future (HRT).
But Lotus as only confirmed Kimi Raikkonen for 2013. Despite constantly talking about how they’re going to offer Grosjean a seat, the team haven’t announced him yet, and if they really wanted to keep him, they would have done so by now. I think they’re seriously considering other alternatives, given his accident-prone nature. This, in particular, might be a concern for Coca-Cola, who want to compete with Red Bull – and they can’t do that if one of the team’s drivers is constantly in the wars. Even when Grosjean is not the cause, like in the pile-up at La Source, he has a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, like in Abu Dhabi. He’s certainly quick, but he’s wild, and with the Burn sponsorship said to be worth some $30-odd million, there will probably have been some serious discussion about driver line-ups because having someone who is a bit of a crasher could do a lot of damage to a brand. Worse, Grosjean has over-compensated in addressing his crashing problems, and the result has been someone who is too cautious for his own good, which other drivers have been more than happy to take advantage of. I think his eagerness to stay out of trouble has blunted his killer instinct, and that’s not easy to get back.
If Coca-Cola are leaning on Lotus to drop Grosjean, then Kamui Kobayashi is probably the next-best alternative. He hasn’t lived up to fan expectations, and he’s had some disappointing moments, but he is popular, and a popular driver will get a team (and therefore a sponsor) more coverage. Which is why I find it odd that Kobayashi is having so much difficulty finding a sponsor; of all the free agents on the grid, he’s probably one of the most marketable. But he’s also a risk: Grosjean is the superior driver, and Kobayashi is not without his flaws. Lotus will be very wary that Sauber cut him loose, particularly if they think it was on performance grounds. Although Esteban Gutierrez took the seat Kobayashi is holding, Gutierrez is really replacing Sergio Perez to guarantee an influx of sponsor dollars. Nico Hulkenberg is really the driver who replaced Kobayashi, and he doesn’t have much (if any) sponsorship to his name.
That said, I just can’t see it happening. I think getting that Lotus seat will require Kobayashi to push an elephant up the stairs, and even if he somehow manages it, I can’t see him working well with Raikkonen (though to be fair, I don’t think Raikkonen works well with anyone).
