Kobayashi F1 career switches to Ferrari sports cars

Kamui Kobayashi & Felipe Massa on the podium in Japan

Kamui Kobayashi looks set to continue his motor racing career in Le Mans-style sports car racing.

After three full seasons in F1, the popular and exciting Japanese lost his Sauber race seat for 2013 and failed to find refuge elsewhere.

Media reports say he will test for the Ferrari-linked AF Corse sports car team in Spain this week.

The reports say Kobayashi, 26, is under consideration for a seat in the FIA's world endurance championship, driving a Ferrari 458.

With Sauber opting for Telmex-linked Esteban Gutierrez for 2013, Kobayashi attempted to stay in F1 by asking his fans to contribute to his sponsor purse.

Ultimately, corporate Japan failed to back him.

"Yes, it is surprising when such a pleasant person like him cannot get any support from such a motorsport-loving nation like Japan," Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn told F1's official website.

"This again should be a sort of warning that we maybe need to change something," she added.

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