WEC: Kobayashi promoted to Toyota LMP1 lineup

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Former F1 driver Kamui Kobayashi has been confirmed as Alexander Wurz's replacement in the Toyota LMP1 squad for the 2016 season.


Kobayashi will race alongside Mike Conway and Stephane Sarrazin for the 2016 season, as the trio intend to make up for Toyota's lackluster 2015 campaign with the all new TS050 HYBRID car.

Since his last appearance in Formula 1 in 2014 Kobayashi has been keeping sharp by combining a testing role at Toyota with a seat in the Japanese Super Formula series, where he placed 5th overall last season. Meanwhile he came very close to replacing Nakajima for the Le Mans 24 Hours after his fellow countryman recovered from a heavy crash sustained in a practice session for the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.

Kobayashi has previously raced in the WEC of course, having driven for the Ferrari AF Corse outfit following his dismissal from the Sauber F1 team following the 2012 season.

In addition to announcing Kobayashi's promotion, Toyota also have revealed their new liveries for Toyota GAZOO Racing's various racing endeavors, with the team abandoning their blue liveries in favour of a red, white and black colour scheme

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The story goes that Kobayashi really wanted to stay in WEC the first time around. With Toyota, he now has a proper homecoming, and a chance to test his abilities sharing a car with an experienced driver like Sarrazin.
 
The story goes that Kobayashi really wanted to stay in WEC the first time around.

Really? All that I've read (on Autosport) was how unimpressed he was with GT cars, how he couldn't wait to have a chance on F1 again etc. I mean, he ended up using crowdfunding money to buy a seat in Caterham instead of continuing as a factory Ferrari driver.
 
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