World champion driver makes surprise return after secret F1 team test

Toyota star Kamui Kobayashi has returned to the cockpit of a Formula 1 car after 11 years away from the sport.

The 38-year-old confirmed his participation in discreet tests with Haas at Circuit Paul Ricard via his personal Instagram account, thanking the American F1 outfit for the 'fun' opportunity.

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"Bit of fun with this beast again after 11 years. Thank you [for] this opportunity @toyota_gazoo_racing @haasf1team

"Also big big thanks my neck last 2days was strong," wrote the Japanese driver.

Kobayashi entered the pinnacle of motorsport in 2009 with Toyota when he was called upon to replace an injured Timo Glock for the last two rounds of the championship.

Off the back of these appearances he then secured a seat with Sauber, who he raced for across the 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons.

Kobayashi achieved an iconic first and only podium result at his home race at Suzuka in 2012 but despite this triumph, was replaced for the 2013 season by Esteban Gutierrez, who brought along significantly more sponsorship money.

His last contract in F1 ended in 2014 having driven for Caterham that year but over a decade later, Kobayashi has got back behind the wheel of F1 machinery as part of Haas' technical partnership with Toyota, with the former fan-favourite revealing the aim of these tests is to help increase the likelihood of Toyota fielding a driver in F1 in the future.

Two-time champion steps up in hope of Toyota F1 future

A video posted to Haas’ own Instagram account revealed more details about the tests, with Kobayashi saying: "Today is a bit different role compared to usual… usually I’m doing the WEC driver and team principal with WEC team with Toyota Gazoo Racing.

"Today I am driving Formula 1 with Haas team, this is a collaboration between the Toyota Gazoo Racing, between the Haas F1 team to collaborate in the future technology to improve and obviously at the same time we have the future role from Morizo San that we want to give opportunity for Toyota driver to have a Formula 1 future.

"I’m not young enough to say I want to be the Formula 1 driver but... I want to give advice on how you appear in Formula 1 this time and what you need to be prepared."

Having spent the last nine years in WEC with Toyota both as a driver and as the Japanese outfit's team principal, Kobayashi spoke on how his fitness has held up since leaving the sport.

"I tried to get back in the car in Formula 1 after 11 years, so since 2014 I have not driven Formula 1 but this time, yeah 11 years it’s quite a different kind of feeling but different I enjoy. It’s quite smoothly I fit in the car, the physical is fine after 11 years so I definitely enjoyed today."

"I smiled a lot today while driving but for me, this experience is to give more chance in the future [for] the Formula 1 driver [to be from] Toyota," he concluded.

Whilst fans were delighted to see the former F1 star return to the racing environment with Haas, Kobayashi's focus will no doubt now shift to the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans.

After switching to sports cars as a factory driver for Toyota, Kobayashi became champion in the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship in LMP1 in 2019/2020, repeating his team’s success in 2021 with the then-new Hypercar, having also been a part of the team that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans that same year.

The fourth round of the 2025 WEC returns with the legendary event next week, where Kobayashi hopes to bring Toyota to their former glory as part of the number 7 Toyota GR010 HYBRID Hypercar team, alongside Mike Conway and fellow ex-F1 star Nyck de Vries.

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A post shared by Kamui Kobayashi (@kamuikobayashi)

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