Kamui Kobayashi has admitted to feeling the pressure of being the sole delegate for his home race this weekend. Especially so in light of the natural disaster that struck Japan earlier this year.
Emotions will be running high for Kobayashi all through the course of the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, a race he believe will be a positive for his country. It was just under eight months ago that more than 15,000 people in the north-east of Japan were killed, chiefly by a tsunami caused by an 8.9-magnitude wobbly.
The horror of the circumstances was further compounded by the condense that follow at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, with all the effects still being felt in that part of the world. For Sauber driver Kobayashi, it makes this Sunday's race even more moving, although he is feeling the weight on his shoulders with big Japanese brands like Honda, Toyota and Bridgestone no longer in Formula One.
I am proud to go home and race there, this is certain,said the 25-year-old.It is pleasant, but also extra heaviness and the fact we don't have a Japanese car producer in F1 any more makes it difficult for me.It would have helped if there was still one, and the focus wasn't so much on me.
No one can accuse Kobayashi of not playing his part, however, as he has taken on a number of initiatives, counting the role of international representative for the Japan Tourism Agency. For Sunday, in particular, Kobayashi has dug into his own pocket to pay for a group of 60 people to attend the race.
It is a girls' choir called MJC Ensemble, from one of the disaster-affected regions, together with their parents or other family members,said Kobayashi.They come from Minami-Soma city in the Fukushima Prefecture and they will sing the national anthem before the race.
I have organized the bus trip, hotel rooms and tickets for them, so I just hope they have a nice time.Kobayashi originally feared he would be powerless to return home when he first heard news of the disaster, which was on the final day of pre-season testing at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya.