Moscow International Business Center, April 2012

Moscow International Business Center (Russian: Московский Международный Деловой Центр, Moskovskiy Mezhdunarodniy Delovoy Tsentr; ММДЦ, MMDTs ), also referred to as Moscow-City^[1][2] (Russian: Москва-Сити, Moskva Siti) is a commercial district of central Moscow, Russia. Located near the Third Ring Road in Presnensky District of western Moscow, the Moscow-City area is currently under development.

The Moscow IBC is expected to become the first zone in Russia to combine business activity, living space and entertainment in one single development.^[3] The Moscow government first conceived the project in 1992.^[4] An estimated 250,000 – 300,000 people will be working, living, or visiting the complex at any given time.^[3]

The construction of Moscow IBC is taking place on the Presnenskaya embankment of the Moscow River approximately 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) west of Red Square, and just east of the Third Ring Road. The project occupies an area of 60 hectares,^[3] the territory chosen being the only area in central Moscow that can accommodate such a project^{[citation needed]}. Before construction began, the area represented an old stone quarry where most of the buildings were old factories and industrial complexes that had been closed or abandoned. The total cost of the project is estimated at $12 billion.^[4]

Layout[link]

The plots of Moscow-City

Buildings[link]

The stone symbolizing beginning of construction

Tower 2000[link]

The Tower 2000, a 30-story office building with four floors underground, is located on the south bank of the Moscow River. The tower is connected to the MIBC by the Bagration pedestrian bridge, which was the first completed structure of the MIBC, finished in 1999. It is located on the opposite side of the river from the main development. There is also underground parking, restaurants, and other entertainment and attractions in the tower. The tower is 106 meters high,^[13] and the total floor area of the complex is 60,000 square meters. Construction began in 1996 and the building was completed in late 2001.^[4]

Evolution Tower[link]

Evolution Tower under construction, 17 October 2008

The foundation of the Evolution Tower (formerly known as Wedding Palace and City Palace) was built by BAUER Technologii, the Russian branch of BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH. The foundation was successfully completed in December 2008. The tower was on hold for some period of time, but is now once again under construction. The height is planned to be 250 m.

• Total area of a plot: 2.549 ha
• Total area 200,000 m² (2,152,782 sq ft)
• Height: 250 m (820 ft)
• Floor count: 48
• Construction began: 2007
• Construction completed: 2013

Imperia Tower[link]

Imperia Tower, March 2010

Imperia Tower is a multipurpose complex located on plot 4 of the Moscow International Business Center. It will consist of 2 buildings, the mixed-use Building A and the water park entertainment complex in Building B.

Building A, totaling 60 floors (239 m), will incorporate over 70,110 square meters (750,000 sq ft) of office space, 45,000 m2 (480,000 sq ft) of apartments, a 280 room hotel (30,000 m2/320,000 sq ft), and assorted retail outlets. The construction was completed in 2010.

Building B (currently on hold) is planned to incorporate the water park and will be a focus of entertainment for the MIBC Complex. It will also house a shopping mall, restaurants and cafés, and will be open year-round.

Central core[link]

One of the most difficult structures to build in the MIBC, the Central Core, is located on plots 6, 7 and 8. The Central Core consists of two main sections – the above-ground and underground.

The underground part includes three metro stations. One is opened as a part of Filyovskaya Line branch. Second is planned to open as a part of Kalininsko-Solntsevskaya Line in 2014. The complex will also be connected to Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo airports via a high-speed transport system. Underground, parking is provided for up to 2750 vehicles, as well as central control rooms for maintenance, security, and other operations in the centre. The underground space also houses a shopping centre, which also functions as a lobby for the underground part of the complex, with walkways and passages for travel between other buildings in the MIBC. VIP parking will be available and is located on the western side of the Central Core.

The above-ground section is divided into three functional zones: a hotel on plot 8а, a retail-entertainment complex on plots 8b and 7, and a cinema/concert hall with a capacity of 6000 people on a plot 6. The hotel is still under construction, and the volume of capital investments will top USD $50–55 million^{[citation needed]}. The hotel has 5 blocks of elevators connecting upper floors of the hotel with the underground parking places and retail enterprises. Plans are to include apartments, restaurants, winter gardens and terraces, as well as technical and auxiliary rooms.

The retail-entertainment complex is located in the central part of a building on sites 8b and 7. It is divided into four zones conceptually reflecting the seasons. The complex is formed by four 5-floor modular units and incorporates retail and exhibition zones, entertainment attractions, a park, restaurants, and galleries. A glass dome covers the main recreational space.

The film-concert hall is located on plot 6 and will host significant entertainment attractions such as gala concerts, forums, and large celebrations. The total amount of capital investments is estimated at over USD $120–140 million^{[citation needed]}.

• Total area: 450,000 m² (4,843,760 sq ft)
• Construction began: Q1 2005
• Construction completed: Q3 2010
• Total investment $300 million

City of Capitals[link]

The City of Capitals complex, symbolizing Moscow and St.Petersburg, is located on plot 9. The tower Moscow has become the first super tall skyscraper in Europe.

More than half of the top floors are taken up to an entertainment complex, office suites, and large apartments. The Сity of Capitals consists of two towers – the 73-floor "Moscow Tower" and the 62-floor "St.-Petersburg Tower", reaching heights of 306 and 255 meters, respectively. Floors 17 and 18 of both towers are offices. The entire complex sits on a main lobby consisting of 6 underground floors and 4 aboveground floors of public space. The upper floors of the base structure will contain shops, a fitness centre, presentation halls, and restaurants.^[14]

To create the concept for the offices in the City of Capitals, other business complexes and business centres from other parts of the world were studied.

The spatial structure of the complex with steps of columns 9 meters high enables the organization of offices with open layouts from 500 up to 3,500 square meters. An entrance to the office section of the complex is situated near a quay, leading from underground parking to retail galleries.

• Total area: 288,680 m² (3,107,326 sq ft)
• Height: 306 m (1,004 ft) and 255 m (837 ft)
• Total area of a trading part: 10,000 m² (107,639 sq ft)
• Total area sports parts (fitness): 2,480 m² (26,694 sq ft)
• Total area of a public part, including restaurants and cinemas: 10,800 m² (116,250 sq ft)
• Total area of office part: 80,000 m² (861,113 sq ft)
• Total area of apartments: 101,440 m² (1,091,891 sq ft)
• Parking capacity: 2000 cars
• Total investment: $450 million
• Construction completed: 2010

Naberezhnaya Tower[link]

The “Naberezhnaya Tower” complex was completed in August 2007. It includes three buildings of heights of 17, 27 and 60 floors. In October 2004, the 17-story building was fully completed. In October 2005 the second, 27-story building was put into operation. Construction of the third skyscraper began in January 2005. Three plazas, one for each building, are at the first level below ground, and they are connected by a central pier.

A first class office complex, including one underground floor, which will be reserved for retail trade, will be located in the tower. The other underground floors will be used as parking space.

• Height: 268 m (879 ft)
• Total area of the site: 1,6 ha
• Total area of Tower A: 39,718 m² (427,521 sq ft)
• Total area of Tower B: 53,994 m² (581,187 sq ft)
• Total area of a building in 61 floor: 160,200 m²
• Construction began: October 2003
• Construction completed: November 2007
• Total investment: $500 million
• The developer/owner: City Center Investment B.V. (100% subsidiary of Enka Insaat & Sanayi A.S.)
• The contractor: Enka Insaat & Sanayi A.S.
• The design architect: RTKL & ENKA Architectural Office
• The structural engineers: Thornton-Tomasetti Engineers & ENKA Design Office

Transport Terminal[link]

A transport terminal, located on plot 11, will be the transfer point between different subway lines and light rail lines and other public systems. There will also be offices, hotels, a clinic, and parking.

There will be a transfer station between the metro and a high-speed transport system, which is planned to extend from Moscow-city, eventually ending at the three local airports. The multilevel terminal will connect the underground zones of Moscow-city to the metro stations and to other municipal transportation, lighted by means of light wells, with retail space, living and office areas.

The complex will contain 106 office suites, 3 hotels with 342 rooms, a main hospital, points of retail trade, and parking for up to 1250 vehicles.

• Territory of a building site: 1,137 ha
• Territory of a site under construction of objects: 1 025 m
• Total area: 201,430 m² (2,168,174 sq ft) m²
• Construction began: January 2005
• Construction will be completed: Q4 2015

Eurasia Tower[link]

Eurasia Tower, March 2010

The Eurasia Tower, located on plot 12, is an office/recreational space with a total area of 207542 square meters. It will be situated on a three-tier podium in which will be placed a fitness centre, entertainment, restaurants, and shops. Other areas will be distributed as follows: 106 231 square meters will be reserved for office space, and residential apartments will occupy 21185 square meters. On the bottom, there will be parking for more than 1000 cars. The external design of the building is a combination of classical and modernist style. On the outside of the building, a scenic elevator will run up and down for views of the entire city. While two thirds of the tower has been built, the current status is 'on hold'

• Architect: Swanke Hayden Connell Architects
• Number of floors: 67
• Height: 305 m (1,001 ft)
• Total investment: $250 million
• Total area: 207,542 m² (2,233,963 sq ft)
• The area of office premises: 106,231 m² (1,143,461 sq ft)
• The area of premises: 21,185 m² (228,033 sq ft)
• Parking capacity: 1000
• Developer: Mos City Group

Federation Tower[link]

Federation Tower, March 2010

• Tower A: 93 floors – 360 m (1,181 ft)
• Tower B: 62 floors – 243 m (797 ft)
• Tower C: spire – 506 m (1,660 ft)

Upon completion, this will be the tallest building in Europe, at the height of 506 meters.

Office complex "Federation" is on plot 13 MIBC "Moscow-city". The structure represents a design of two tri-hedral towers with heights of 360 and 243 meters above the ground, located on a common base of 10 floors. Between them is the spike, with a height of 506 meters. A restaurant is planned in the towers, along with office suites and residential apartments divided by technical floors. In the spike, elevators with panoramic views and an evacuation stairway will be placed. In the base of the towers a full complex of retail and household services is planned. The underground part includes parking places, technical premises, and the walkway connecting the complex with the central part of a Business Center, northern departure and a complex 12 site.

• Developer: ZAO Mirax-City, Russia
• Employer: ZAO Mirax-City, Russia
• Architect: Prof. P. Schweger and S. Tchoban (Germany)
• Total investment: $500 million
• Total area: 425,000 m² (4,574,662 sq ft)
• Total area of a plot: 1,07 ha
• Height: over 506 m (1,660 ft)
• Construction began: 2004
• Construction completed: 2011

Mercury City Tower[link]

Mercury City Tower, August 2011

The Mercury City Tower is a multipurpose building with housing, offices and shops.^[15] The tower is located on plot 14 of the MIBC. The structure's height is 322 meters (380 with spire)^[16] above ground, with five underground floors^{[citation needed]}. Architect Frank Williams says that it is the first environmentally-friendly building in Russia, and it is designed to collect melting snow water, as well as provide 70% of the workplaces with access to daylight.^[16][17]

• Architect: M.M. Posohin, Frank Williams (USA), G.L. Sirota
• Total area of a plot: 0,4975 ha
• Total area: 158,000 m² (1,700,698 sq ft)
• Height: 380 m (1,247 ft)
• Floor count: 70
• The area of offices: 86,000 m² (925,696 sq ft)
• The area of apartments: 24,000 m² (258,334 sq ft)
• The area of fitness center: 5,000 m² (53,820 sq ft)
• The area of restaurants: 3,500 m² (37,674 sq ft)
• Trading premises: 6,200 m² (66,736 sq ft)
• Those a premise: 16,900 m² (181,910 sq ft)
• Parking place: 18,000 m² (193,750 sq ft)
• Construction completed: Q4 2011

City Hall and City Duma[link]

The City Hall and City Duma would have housed the Moscow government and duma. The structure was planned on consisting of four, 308.4-metre towers. Currently, most of the administration's buildings are scattered all over the city. This complex would have brought them together, which would have provided better organization.

Spatial construction from 4 vertical structural elements, formed by 4 70 floor towers with the grouped around of communication "kernels"; 4 horizontal 8 floor "bridges" uniting towers in the top part and twenty "bridges" in height in a floor, "tieing up" all volume through everyone 8 floors on a vertical. Communication "kernels" come to the end with helicopter platforms and evacuation of a ladder, high-speed passenger, load-lifting, cargo (technical) lifts, channels of engineering communications, technical premises include. Each circle of horizontal bridges has a winter garden on a maintained roof. Favorable temperature humidity the mode, sufficient light exposure of all functional zones and "trailing" winter gardens is reached closing by glass of "apertures" between vertical both horizontal structural elements and a transparent covering of the central space of a construction.

The complex was planned to include a commercial part accommodating public, entertainment and business facilities as well as underground parking space. Apart from the government offices, the bottom part would have been open to visitors around the clock.

• Architects: M. D.Hazanov, A.A.Nagavitsyn
• The designer: Nodar V. Kancheli
• Total area of a plot: 1.07 ha
• Total area 397,831 m² (4,282,217 sq ft)
• Total area of an underground part: 77,059 m² (829,456 sq ft)
• Building volume: 876,803 m² (9,437,829 sq ft)
• Height: 308.4 m (1,012 ft)
• Construction began: 2006
• Status: Canceled

Russia Tower[link]

Construction began in September 2007, and was planned to be completed by 2011. Upon reaching its final height of 612.2 meters (2,009 ft), it would have been the tallest building in Europe and the second tallest in the world.^[18][19][20]

The total area of the structure was to cover 520,000 m² (5,597,233.4 sq ft), of which 38% (200,000 m² (2,152,782.1 sq ft)) were to be located underground. The tower was to contain 118 floors, 101 lifts, and underground parking to accommodate 3,680 cars. Commercial retail shops would be located at the base of the building. The maximum capacity of the building was projected to be around 30,000.

The first ten floors were to be occupied by a parking garage. In the bottom part of a tower of office premises, a hotel would be located, the top floors occupied by apartments. The business part of the project was expected to house a large congress centre, hotel, an entertainment zone, a casino and a park of attractions. Construction was planned on a plots 17–18 MIBC "Moscow-City". The developer of the project was the Moscow company (MDC), in cooperation with the city government and CT-Towers is the affiliated structure STT Group created for realization of projects in MIBC "Moscow-City". The final project of a tower had been presented by architect Norman Foster on 15 March 2006 at exhibition MIPIM-2006 in Cannes. After completion, Russia Tower would have become the tallest tower in Europe.

However, construction was halted in November 2008 due to financial difficulties. In February 2009, it was announced that the project has been suspended and that it is now unlikely that the tower, in its original form, will be built. In June 2009, construction of the Russia Tower was cancelled in the face of mounting financial pressure.^[21][22]

According to Russian press as of January 2012, Moscow government prolonged construction permit until December, 31 2015. The total are of structure is decreased to 350,000 square metres (3,800,000 sq ft), of which approximately 240,000 square metres (2,600,000 sq ft) would be located above ground. Floor count and height remain unchanged.

• Total area of a plot: 4,19 ha
• Total Area: 350,000 m² (3,767,369 sq ft)
• Amount of floors: 118
• Height: 612.2 metres (2,009 ft)
• Cost of the project: €361 million
• Spaciousness of the built in parking: 9600 place
• Amount of lifts: 101
• Construction began: on September 18, 2007
• Status : to be complete by 2016

Exhibition-business complex[link]

The complex, on a plot 20, includes: a high-rise building of 59 floors, including 54 elevated and 5 underground; a large area of underground and elevated parking places; a helicopter landing pad on the roof of a high-rise part of the building. Residential apartments are located in the top part of the building with view of the greatest commercial appeal.

The recreational zone of the Complex differs from the developed infrastructure, characteristic of a class-A building, and includes retail zones, restaurants and a cafe, a bank, a dining room for employees, a fitness-club, a beauty salon, and service platforms.

• The customer-builder: Open Society "City"
• The author of the project: Asadov A.R., "Mosproject-2", a workshop №19
• Total area: 180,000 m² (1,937,504 sq ft)
• The area of offices: 70,936 m² (763,549 sq ft)
• The area of apartments: 29,138 m² (313,639 sq ft)
• The area of restaurants, cafe: 2,074 m² (22,324 sq ft)
• The area of public zone: 8,900 m² (95,799 sq ft)
• The area of those. Premises: 38,509 m² (414,507 sq ft)
• Parking place: 14,072 m² (151,470 sq ft)
• Spaciousness of parking: 604 place
• Height: 228 m (748 ft)
• Floor count: 54

Transport[link]

Major thoroughfares through Moscow-City are the Third Ring and Kutuzovsky Prospekt.

Three metro stations were initially planned for the Filyovskaya Line. The station "Delovoi Tsentr" (Business Center) opened in 2005, and was later renamed "Vystavochnaya" ("Exhibition") in 2009. The branch extended to the "Mezhdunarodnaya" ("International ") station in 2006, and all work on third station, Dorogomilovskaya (between Kiyevskaya and Delovoi Tsentr), has been postponed. It was recently announced that there are plans to extend the branch as far as the Savyolovskaya station, on the Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya Line.

A rapid transit system to Vnukovo Airport and Sheremetyevo Airport with terminals in each airport is also planned.

City government and business[link]

The City Hall and City Duma will be home to the Moscow government. Other important organisations and businesses, for example, the Global Hyatt Corporation, have purchased space in Moscow-City. There is also a large pedestrian-mall bridge crossing Moskva River. The area is to become a new hub for business in Moscow and Russia, following completion.

Gallery[link]

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See also[link]

• Commercial district
• Gazprom City
• Yekaterinburg City
• Megaproject

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Moscow-City

• Official IBC site
• Official Federation Tower site
• SkyscraperCity Moscow IBC Forum
• Citytowers Forum

v t e Moscow International Business Center "Moscow-City" Buildings Tower 2000 • Expo center • Evolution Tower • Imperia Tower • Central Gallery • City of Capitals • Naberezhnaya Tower • Transport Terminal • Eurasia Tower • Federation Tower • Mercury City Tower • City Hall and City Duma (canceled) • Office-Hotel space • Russia Tower • Northern Tower • Exhibition business complex Transport Bagration Bridge • Vystavochnaya • Mezhdunarodnaya

Coordinates: 55°44′48″N 37°32′13″E / 55.74667°N 37.53694°E / 55.74667; 37.53694vep:Moskv-siti

Dani Sordo

Sordo at the 2011 Cornberry-Park rally show.
Personal information
Nationality	Spanish
Born	(1983-05-02) May 2, 1983 (age 29) Torrelavega, Cantabria
World Rally Championship record
Active years	2003–present
Teams	Citroën, Mini
Rallies	90
Championships	0
Rally wins	0
Podiums	31
Stage wins	107
Total points	452
First rally	2003 Rally Catalunya

Daniel "Dani" Sordo Castillo (born May 2, 1983 in Torrelavega, Cantabria) is a Spanish rally driver. He competes in the World Rally Championship for the Mini WRC Team. He has yet to claim his maiden victory in the WRC despite having raced in one of the best teams for four years.

Career[link]

Sordo began in motocross when he was 12 years old, but also experienced success with hillclimbing, karting and touring cars. He first drove in a World Rally Championship event at the Rally Catalunya, the Spanish round of the series, in 2003 in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII, finishing 18th overall. He won the Spanish Junior Championship that year, and retained the title in 2004, while also accumulating further international experience at the WRC events in Argentina (retired), France (13th) and Spain (20th).

In this last event, he switched from the Lancer Evo to a Citroën C2 S1600, and for 2005 he committed to a full season driving the C2 in the Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC) with Belgium's Kronos Racing team. He also switched co-drivers, now being paired with Marc Martí, the former co-driver of double World Champion Carlos Sainz. Victories in Sardinia, Finland, Germany and Spain brought him the junior world title.

Sordo driving a Citroën Xsara WRC at the 2006 Rally Japan.

These showings earned Sordo a subsequent drive in a Kronos Total Citroën-prepared Xsara World Rally Car as the team's third driver in the 2006 season, although the initial plan - latterly dropped - was for the Spaniard to combine a piecemeal World Rally Car programme with a simultaneous defence of the JWRC title in the C2.

His early results though, including successive podiums at the Rally Catalunya and the Rallye de France, proved sufficient to not only expand his complement of contested events, but also ensure promotion to the second driver berth from the Rallye Deutschland onwards, alongside Sébastien Loeb and ahead of team-mate Xavier Pons. Sordo finished the 2006 season with four podium places, 49 points and a fifth overall in the drivers' world championship.

Sordo driving a Citroën C4 WRC at the 2010 Rally Finland.

Citroën Sport then announced that Sordo will be their second driver for their 2007 season works team return. Sébastien Loeb would lead the team's push to win another title, this time using the C4 instead of Xsara.^[1] Sordo started the season with a second place at the 2007 Monte Carlo Rally and went on to finish on the podium six more times; in Portugal, Italy, Spain, where he also led a WRC event for the first time in his career, France, Japan and Ireland. With 65 points, he placed fourth overall in the drivers' championship, behind his teammate Loeb and BP Ford World Rally Team's Marcus Grönholm and Mikko Hirvonen.

In the 2008 season, after only three points in the first three events, Sordo finished third in Argentina and second in Jordan. On July 12, Sordo won the SM O.K. Auto-Ralli, the fifth round of the Finnish Rally Championship. Initially, he only planned to use the event as a test session when Citroën decided to competitively enroll him in the event to build confidence in preparation for the 2008 Rally Finland. Sordo's win marks his first in a WRC car.^[2] Citroën is also believed to have been testing out new parts at this event as a few slight modifications could be noticed in a few cars.

Back in the World Rally Championship, Sordo took fourth place in Finland and went on to drive his C4 WRC to three consecutive runner-up finishes behind his teammate Loeb; in Germany, New Zealand and Spain. With these results, Citroën passed Ford and took a 27-point lead in the manufacturers' world championship. At the season-ending Wales Rally GB, Loeb and Sordo secured the team their fourth manufacturers' crown by finishing first and third, respectively. Sordo finished a career-best third in the drivers' standings. In the 2010 WRC season Dani Sordo scored a 4th place in the opening round Rally Sweden, while he scored no points in the following round in Rally Mexico. In the third round in Rally Jordan he scored another 4th place, in the Turkish Rally he was forced to retire, while in Rally New Zealand he scored 5th place and in the Rally of Portugal he scored his first podium finish of the year, while in Rally Bulgaria, Sordo finished in second place behind his team leader Loeb, giving his Citroen team their first one-two finish of the season. However, he will be replaced by Sebastien Ogier for the remaining gravel events of the season in the works team, and will be demoted to the Citroen Junior Team alongside Kimi Räikkönen. In Rally Finland Sordo finished 4th and from Rally Deutschland onwards Dani Sordo swapped his co-driver to Diego Vallejo. In Rally Deutschland itself Dani Scored another 2nd place podium. In the following Rally in Japan he finished 4th and in Rally Alsace 2nd again. He is currently 5th in the standings and has 53 points if using the old scoring system with 2 rounds remaining until the end of the season. At the end of the season he has 63 points using the old scoring system in 5th place. For the 2011 season Dani Sordo had joined MINI in there first year in the WRC securing 2 podiums in Germany and France 3rd and 2nd place respectively and 4th place in Spain and 6th in the first round for MINI in Sardegnia. For 2012 he continues his partnership with MINI for their first full season beginning in Monte-Carlo Rally. In Monte-Carlo he took his first podium for 2012 finnishing in second place. Round 2 in Sweden he went off road scoring no points. Rally Mexico Sordo did not compete due to MINI separating from Prodrive. A round later however after some more than 100 modifications for the MINI, Sordo won 6 stages including the power stage. Sordo is set to replace Ford's number one in argentina, after the finn was injured in practice for the upcomming event, for now that is the only event he will replace Ford's Finn afterwhich he will compete in New-Zealand,Germany and Wales GB. Besides competing in the WRC for 2012, Dani Sordo is to participate in the IRC in the Tour De-Course in a MINI. Took his maiden win in the 2012-Tour de-Course in the IRC championship.

Complete WRC results[link]

* Season in progress.

JWRC results[link]

Footnotes[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dani Sordo

• Official website

Kamui Kobayashi

Kobayashi at the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix
Born	(1986-09-13) 13 September 1986 (age 25)
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	Japanese
2012 team	Sauber-Ferrari
2012 car #	14
Races	46
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	84
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	1
First race	2009 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last race	2012 Monaco Grand Prix
2011 position	12th (30 points)

Kamui Kobayashi (小林 可夢偉, Kobayashi Kamui^?, born September 13, 1986 in Amagasaki, Hyogo, Japan) is a Japanese racing driver. He has competed in the GP2 Series, won the GP2 Asia Series, and made his Formula One debut with Toyota in the final two races of 2009 when he replaced Timo Glock after the German was injured in a crash during qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix. He has driven for Sauber since the 2010 season. He was named after Kamuy, divine being in Ainu mythology, and the letter of the name imitated the sound citing three Kanjis from the sentence "Enabling great dream(s)".^[1]

Racing career[link]

Early career[link]

Kobayashi was born in the town of Amagasaki, near Kobe. His father owns a sushi restaurant.^[2] He began his career in motorsport in 1996 when he was nine years old, finishing third in his first season of karting in the SL Takarazuka Tournament Cadet Class. During the following seven years, Kobayashi took four karting titles, winning the Toyota SL All Japan Tournament Cadet Class series twice.

In 2004, he signed up for Toyota's Driver Academy and soon began his career in open wheel racing. Kobayashi's next step was Formula Renault, entering the Asian, German, Italian and Dutch championships and taking two race victories in the Italian championship. Kobayashi continued his campaign in the Formula Renault class, entering the Italian and European championships and with six wins in both championships, he won both titles.

In 2006, Kobayashi entered the Formula 3 Euro Series with ASM Formule 3 alongside Paul di Resta, Giedo van der Garde and Sebastian Vettel. He took three podium positions in his debut season, coming eighth in the Drivers' Championship and first in the Rookie's Championship. Kobayashi also entered the Macau Grand Prix and the Masters of Formula 3, both of which are annual Formula Three events. Kobayashi started the latter in 10th place and finished the race a place lower in 11th while at the Macau Grand Prix, he started the race in pole position but finished in 19th place.

At the beginning of 2007, Kobayashi, along with Kohei Hirate, was named as one of the Toyota Formula One team's test drivers. He stayed in the Euro Series for the upcoming season and had an impressive start to the season, taking two podiums in the first four rounds, and at the tenth round in Magny-Cours for the Formula One French Grand Prix Formula Three support race Kobayashi took his first race victory in Formula Three. Kobayashi finished fourth in the Drivers' Championship.

GP2[link]

Kobayashi driving for DAMS at the Nürburgring round of the 2009 GP2 Series season

Following a successful GP2 Asia Series campaign in early 2008, Kobayashi won his first GP2 Series race in only the second race of the season. After a strong start from pole in the sprint race at the Circuit de Catalunya, Kamui took the chequered flag in first place. This was after a controversial piece of defensive driving from his former Euro Series team-mate Romain Grosjean after a safety car period. At the end of the pit straight, Kamui attempted a pass on Grosjean. However, the Frenchman moved more than once to defend his position, forcing Kobayashi into evasive action. This resulted in a drive through penalty for the Frenchman, handing the win to Kobayashi. However, he only finished in the points on one further occasion, restricting him to sixteenth in the championship.

Another successful GP2 Asia campaign followed over the winter months of 2008 and 2009, with Kobayashi winning two races en route to the championship, with a round to spare. Kobayashi could not repeat his form in the main series, finishing sixteenth again.

Formula One (2007–present)[link]

On November 16, 2007 it was confirmed that Kobayashi would replace the departing Franck Montagny as the Toyota F1 team's third driver.^[3] He was employed as the team's test and reserve driver during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

Toyota (2009)[link]

Kobayashi deputising for Timo Glock during practice for the 2009 Japanese Grand Prix

2009[link]

At the 2009 Japanese Grand Prix, Kobayashi competed in the first two free practice sessions in place of Timo Glock, who was unwell.^[4] Glock recovered in time to take part in the third free practice session and qualifying, but was injured after crashing in the latter session and had to miss the race. Toyota asked the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) for permission to run Kobayashi in the race, but this was refused as the regulations state that a driver must run in at least one session on Saturday in order to be eligible to start the race.^[5]

Kobayashi did, however, make his Formula One debut at the 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix, following a complication to Glock's injury that was initially not detected.^[6] He qualified 11th in a chaotic qualifying session that lasted for over two and half hours and was red-flagged twice due to accidents caused by torrential rain. Early in the race, while running in sixth place, he held off the challenge of Jenson Button, who needed to finish well in order to clinch the world championship, for several laps. He finished the race in tenth place, and was later promoted to ninth when Heikki Kovalainen was penalised. Button jokingly described Kobayashi as "absolutely crazy, very aggressive".^[7] He also competed in the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as Glock's injury was not judged to have healed sufficiently.^[8] Kobayashi qualified 12th and finished sixth, scoring his first World Championship points, in the inaugural day-night race in Abu Dhabi.^[9] Before Toyota decided to withdraw from Formula One, Kobayashi was expected to be given a full-time seat at Toyota for the 2010 Formula One Season.^[10]

Sauber (2010–)[link]

2010[link]

Kobayashi driving for Sauber at the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix

Kobayashi became another victim of the "Wall of Champions" at the 2010 Canadian Grand Prix

Following Toyota's withdrawal, Kobayashi faced an uncertain future, but was mentioned in lists of probable drivers for the series' new teams for 2010.^[11] After weeks of speculation, it was confirmed on December 17, 2009 that he would be driving for Peter Sauber's recovered Sauber team after BMW Sauber had withdrawn for 2010.^[12] His team-mate was former McLaren tester Pedro de la Rosa. Kobayashi completed his first laps in the new Sauber C29 chassis during F1 winter testing on 2 February.

During the Australian Grand Prix, a front wing failure on his Sauber caused him to hit the barrier, rebounding off it to cause a three-car crash taking out Nico Hülkenberg and Sébastien Buemi. In the next race in Malaysia he qualified in ninth place, his highest qualifying position to date in Formula One, however he suffered an engine failure early on in the race. In China, Kobayashi was involved in a three-way collision with Buemi and Vitantonio Liuzzi on the first lap, making him the only driver to retire from the first four races. In Turkey, he won his first points of the season coming home tenth after being promoted up a place due to Vettel's retirement after a collision with team-mate Webber and Petrov's puncture. In Valencia, he finished seventh by passing both Fernando Alonso and Sébastien Buemi in the final laps of the race on fresh tyres, after driving the majority of the race in third position on his first set of tyres. He followed that up with sixth place in Silverstone, eleventh in Germany, ninth in Hungary and eighth in Belgium.

At the Italian Grand Prix, Kobayashi suffered a gearbox failure and retired from the Singapore Grand Prix after hitting a track-side barrier. Kobayashi's team-mate changed in Singapore as Pedro de la Rosa was removed in favour of Nick Heidfeld. In Japan, Kobayashi qualified 14th and finished seventh, passing several drivers along the way including his team mate, in a very impressive fashion. He finished eighth in Korea and tenth in Brazil, eventually finishing the season with 32 points. In his review of the season, former TV commentator Murray Walker stated that Kobayashi is "without a doubt Japan's best [F1 driver] yet".^[13] Kobayashi gained a reputation during the season as a highly skilled overtaker, being able to outbrake drivers several car lengths in front of him. His aggressive overtaking style was described by Martin Brundle as, "He gets to the normal braking point and then goes, ‘Now, which one is the brake again? That’s right, it’s on the left,’ and he just sails past people!"^[14] He qualified well against his more experienced team-mates, outqualifying de la Rosa and Heidfeld 11 times to 8 over the season.

2011[link]

Kobayashi at the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix.

Kobayashi remains with Sauber in 2011,^[15] where he is partnered by GP2 graduate Sergio Pérez. Kobayashi finished eighth in the season opening Australian Grand Prix, but he and Pérez – who had finished seventh – were disqualified after the race due to an irregularity with the car's rear-wing. The next race of the season in Malaysia was another strong showing for Kobayashi, finishing eighth in the race, eventually classified seventh after Lewis Hamilton received a penalty. He finished tenth in his next three races, before a career-high fifth place in an incident-packed Monaco Grand Prix. In an extremely wet Canadian Grand Prix, Kobayashi worked his way up from 13th place to 2nd having not decided to change to extreme wet tyres before the race was red-flagged, as many other drivers had. This essentially gave him a free pit stop while the race was suspended. After the restart, the track began to dry out, and after changing to intermediate tyres and finally slicks, Kobayashi dropped several places, including having a spin whilst lapping a backmarker and being rear-ended by Nick Heidfeld. He eventually finished seventh, 0.045 seconds behind Felipe Massa, who passed him on the final straight.

2012[link]

Kobayashi driving for Sauber at the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix.

On 28 July 2011, it was announced that Kobayashi would remain with Sauber into the 2012 season, alongside team-mate Pérez.^[16]

Kobayashi started the season with sixth place at the Australian Grand Prix,^[17] and a retirement at the Malaysian Grand Prix, due to a problem with his car's brakes.^[18]

He then started third at the Chinese Grand Prix behind the two Mercedes of Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher. He dropped to tenth in the race but managed to set the fastest lap. At the Spanish Grand Prix he finished fifth after overtaking Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg.

Racing record[link]

Career summary[link]