Japanese Driver Kamui Kobayashi and his team Sauber to show support for Japan in Australian GP

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Japanese Driver Kamui Kobayashi and his team Sauber to show support for Japan in Australian GP.

The two Sauber C30-Ferraris of Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez will carry a message in Japanese during the weekend of the Grand Prix in Melbourne, 25th to 27th March:

This literal translation of this is: “May our prayers reach the people in Japan.”

Peter Sauber - Team Principal:
“It is difficult to find the right words to express our emotions and feelings, but silence means we can’t even begin imagine how to try. We can hardly believe what we are seeing. Our thoughts are with the people in Japan. We hope they will have the necessary strength to overcome these circumstances of extreme adversity.”

Kamui Kobayashi has spoken of his anguish after a trip to his homeland in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami.

Sauber driver Kobayashi said: "It is hard to believe that a scenario worse than in any movie has become reality.

"I am worried the whole country could disappear - it is just too awful."

It means that Kobayashi, 24, approaches his second full F1 season with mixed feelings.

"Since the earthquake and the tsunami news is getting worse every day - there is nothing positive to look forward to at the moment," he commented.

"We need to stay together and we need help from all over the world.

"I feel I have to do something, I want to help but there is nothing I can do by myself.

"For the time being, what I can do is to be focused and fully concentrate on the season's opening race in Melbourne.

"Originally I was looking forward to this with great joy. Now what I really want to do is my very best to achieve a good result, which perhaps can at least give the people in Japan a little bit of hope and positive news."

McLaren driver Jenson Button, whose girlfriend Jessica Michibata is Japanese, added: "In the past, I'd always travelled to Melbourne full of positive energy and enthusiasm.

"But, at the moment, my heart is with the people of Japan as they struggle to come to terms with the scope of the terrible devastation and loss of life wreaked by last week's earthquake and tsunami.

"While the prospect of a Formula 1 race seems to pale in the face of such a disaster, there have been occasions before when the healing power of sport can actually be beneficial; an escape for people.

"So I go to Melbourne this weekend resolving to not only try my best, but also to salute the brave people, and my many friends, throughout Japan."

In the horrifying earthquake and Tsunami attack, The north-east of the main island was devastated which killed at least 6,000 people and has triggered a nuclear alert.