Kamui Kobayashi and Jenson Button backs Russian Grand Prix

Jenson Button

Japanese racer Kamui Kobayashi drove at the wheel of an F60 at the Moscow City Racing event.

Kamui Kobayashi makes his track debut here. His first day in Moscow was spent exploring the city. Tomorrow, the Japanese driver will be at the wheel of an F60 as part of Moscow City Racing, an event that has run since 2008, bringing together the best motor sport cars in the heart of the Russian capital.This is Kamui’s first trip to Moscow and he made the most of it, visiting as much as he could, starting with the typical sites of Red Square and the Kremlin.

“It’s the first time I find myself in this city and I’m happy I’ve had the time to see some of its landmarks,” Kamui told www.ferrari.com. “Usually, as a racing driver, you arrive in a city, go straight to the race track and never manage to see anything of where you are. Events like this mean you do get time to see things and also to get closer to the fans. From the little I’ve been able to see, Moscow is a really beautiful city.”

The Moscow City Racing event will be a special moment in Kamui’s career. For the three years he spent with the Sauber team, he was able to enjoy the power of a Ferrari Formula 1 V8 engine. Now, the driver from Amagasaki will finally be able exploit its raw power while at the wheel of a car completely designed and built in Maranello.

“For me it’s a nice feeling taking part in an event like this,” said Kamui. “It is already an honour to be able to race in the World Endurance Championship in the 458 GT, but representing Scuderia Ferrari is really something special. For this, I wish to thank Stefano Domenicali and the team’s partner Kaspersky Lab, whose partnership with the event organisers was the key to getting a Ferrari here.”

And Jenson Button gave his backing to next year’s Sochi Grand Prix during the Moscow City Racing event on Sunday.

“As a driver I’m really excited and looking forward to race at the new Grand Prix and in a new country as well,” Button said. “There’s lot of interest in Formula One in Russia and a lot of passionate fans of these races.”

“It’s great for the fans to hear, to smell and to feel the Formula One cars’ speed. It’s nice to see that motor sports are receiving more and more recognition in Russia,” the former World Champion added.

The Russian Grand Prix has been added to the calendar from 2014 and is due to be held at the new Sochi Olympic Park.