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Formula E: Kamui Kobayashi to race with Andretti at Hong Kong

By Alex Herbst

NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 15: Kamui Kobayashi of Japan and Toyota Gazoo Racing is interviewed by the media following qualifying for the FIA World Endurance Championship at Silverstone on April 15, 2017 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Ker Robertson/Getty Images)
NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 15: Kamui Kobayashi of Japan and Toyota Gazoo Racing is interviewed by the media following qualifying for the FIA World Endurance Championship at Silverstone on April 15, 2017 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Ker Robertson/Getty Images) /
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The second car for MS&AD Andretti Racing in Formula E will see a one-off drive from Kamui Kobayashi to start the 2017-18 season in Hong Kong.

The kickoff to the 2017-18 Formula E season is less than one month away from the streets of Hong Kong. And while the full driver lineup for the all-electric championship was confirmed about two weeks ago, changes are already in the works. Despite Andretti announcing Tom Blomqvist as their second driver in the #27 car this year, it will be Kamui Kobayashi driving the car in China to start the season.

Kobayashi, who most recently served as one of the co-drivers for the Toyota LMP1 effort in the World Endurance Championship, will make his first-ever start in Formula E. Prior to moving into sports cars, the Japanese driver competed in 76 Formula One races for teams including Toyota, Caterham, and Sauber. Kobayashi will be the only Asian-born driver to compete in the Hong Kong ePrix this season.

Kamui Kobayashi had this to say about racing with Andretti in Hong Kong:

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"Andretti is one of the world’s most popular racing families and I am so excited to have my Formula E debut race under his name.I will be going to the race weekend without testing which is not an easy thing to be honest, but the team has been giving me all the support so no worrying at all and I am really looking forward to having good races there."

Michael Andretti also expressed his excitement to have such a seasoned driver pair with Antonio Felix da Costa at Hong Kong:

"We are very fortunate to have a driver of Kobayashi’s caliber in the No. 27 MS&AD Andretti car to start the season in Hong Kong. He has shown what he can do in both Formula 1 and WEC, making Formula E a perfect next step."

Questions will begin to rise as to how many races Kobayashi, and for that matter Blomqvist, will run with Andretti. Kobayashi has been confirmed for just one race thus far, but could theoretically compete in more races before the WEC’s “super-season” kicks off for 2018-19. Blomqvist, meanwhile, is one of BMW’s factory drivers and would be expected to race consistently this year with the German marque’s investment into the Andretti team.

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What do you think about Kamui Kobayashi racing at Hong Kong with the Andretti Formula E team? Will he find success on the streets in his first all-electric start, or will he be outpaced by the more experienced da Costa?

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