Kamui Kobayashi

Kamui Kobayashi was born on September 13, 1986, in Amagasaki, Japan. Like many of his compatriots, he began his motorsport career in karting, where he developed an early technical feel and racing instinct. His talent did not go unnoticed, and soon he found himself leaving Japan for European junior series, where he had to prove himself against international competition.

Kobayashi worked his way up step by step through the formula classes and eventually made the jump to Formula 1, where he started for various teams over several years. After his time in Grand Prix racing, his focus increasingly shifted to endurance racing, particularly GT3 and prototype programs, which eventually opened the door to the FIA WEC. There he found his sporting home in the top class of long-distance racing.

Kobayashi celebrated his greatest career successes in the FIA WEC: in 2019/20 he secured the Drivers’ World Championship title, a success he repeated in 2021. These two world championship titles remain the crowning achievement of his sporting career to this day and underline his consistency and strength in long-distance racing at the highest level.

In the 2026 season, Kamui Kobayashi continues to compete in the FIA WEC, where he ranks among the defining figures of the field as an experienced title holder. His goal remains to build on his previous successes and bring his team as far forward as possible in the overall standings. Fans and observers can look forward to seeing whether the Japanese driver can write another strong chapter in his career.