Kamui Kobayashi completed 75 Formula 1 starts from 2009 to 2014. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Former Formula 1 driver Kamui Kobayashi will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut in Indianapolis in August.
Toyota and 23XI Racing announced on Wednesday that Kobayashi will drive a third car for the team on August 13 at the IMS street circuit. Kobayashi will be the second Japanese driver to compete in the Cup Series and the first to do so in a Toyota.
Kobayashi made 75 Formula 1 starts from 2009 to 2014. His best result came in 2012 when he finished third behind Sebastian Vettel and Felipe Massa for Sauber at the Japanese Grand Prix.
“Kamui shares the passion for motorsport that we all at Toyota and TRD, USA live every day, so it will be exciting to show him our NASCAR program with him at the wheel of one of our TRD Camrys,” said David Wilson, President of Toyota Racing Development said in a statement.
Kobayashi, 36, has been racing sportscars since retiring from F1 and his teams have not finished below eighth in any of his 11 IMSA starts. Kobayashi drove for Wayne Taylor Racing in the 2019 and 2020 Rolex 24 races as the team claimed back-to-back titles. WTR won the 2019 Rolex 24 with Fernando Alonso as part of the four-driver team and IndyCar’s Scott Dixon was part of the 2020 title-winning team.
The announcement of Kobayashi’s NASCAR debut came at Le Mans ahead of this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. Kobayashi drives for Toyota in endurance racing and NASCAR uses a Cup Series prototype car in the race, driven by Jimmie Johnson, Jenson Button and Mike Rockenfeller.
Kobayashi’s race will mark the second time this season that 23XI has entered a third car. The team sent three cars into the Daytona 500 when Travis Pastrana was at the start of the season opener. Pastrana placed 11th in the 500 meters after starting last.
Kobayashi will also become the third former F1 driver to start in a Cup series this season. Both Button and Kimi Raikkonen raced at COTA.
Originally published June 7, 2023 at 5:39 p.m