Kobayashi to Debut Sauber C30 on January 31st

One year after he made his full-time debut in Formula 1, Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi has become a true driving force within the Sauber Team. And it's only natural that when the Swiss squad will make available their 2011-spec challenger, it will be the 24-year old racer to take it to the track for the first time.

However, adopting the Ferrari solution, Sauber will have their C30 car on the track for filming purposes one day before the official group test in Valencia kicks off. Meaning that Kobayashi will get to do some laps at the wheel of the Ferrari-powered C30 on January 31st, immediately after the car will be presented to the media in the Ricardo Tormo pit lane.

“I am looking forward to the moment when it goes out of the box,” said team owner Peter Sauber about the launch of the new C30 single-seater. “Even after 18 years in formula one, the anticipation is still just as great as it was in 1993 with the C12.”

Sauber will be one of the 8 teams that will show their 2011 car prior to the Valencia group test in early February, along with Ferrari, Red Bull, Scuderia Toro Rosso, Mercedes GP, Renault, Team Lotus and Williams F1 Team. As far as the remaining 4 teams go, Force India will most likely unveil their VJM04 just before the Jerez test – which kicks off on February 10 – while McLaren are set to show their MP4-26 during a Vodafone media event in Berlin.

Marussia Virgin has recently confirmed that they will have their car ready by the Jerez test, while Hispania Racing F1 Team is yet to inform us of any of their plans for the winter. However, all teams will be present in Valencia next week, either with their 2011-spec, interim or 2010-spec cars.