Kobayashi reveals Caterham scare

Kamui Kobayashi has revealed a safety concern with his Caterham that took place during the Russian Grand Prix weekend.

The Japanese driver, 28, revealed a suspension defect was found on his car after the Friday practice sessions. The team did not have a spare, so fixed the part simply by wrapping it in carbon fibre.

Kobayashi wrote on his private Facebook page “Scary! Last night a suspension defect was found. There’s no spare so it was repaired by wrapping it in carbon.” “I’m seriously troubled. As a racing driver, should I drive? Should I safely decline? I drive again in 15 minutes…”

Caterham told BBC Sport that Kamui was “kept informed at all times” and that he had “no reason to believe it was not safe” at any time. They also added that they noticed a “small inconsistency” on the left rear assembly, before it was “extensively evaluated” and wrapped in carbon – a normal procedure.

Kobyashi eventually retired from the race, with the team citing an imminent brake failure as the cause. The driver, however, suspects that he was told to stop to save parts.

The Caterham team currently lie last in the constructors’ championship, meaning that they will not earn any prize money at the end of the season if they remain there. The team have been struggling financially all season, with the team being bought by a mystery group of investors midway through the season.

If it had not been bought, it would not have made it beyond the British Grand Prix.

It is, though, still believed that the team are struggling financially. Bailiffs raided the team’s base at Leafield earlier this year and are believed to have taken marketing items, a 2013 car and spares that were due to be used at the Japanese and Russian Grands Prix.

Their financial situation was made worse when Caterham Sports Limited was put into administration, just part of the new saga that has emerged between the new owners and founder Tony Fernandes over the sale of the team earlier this year.