As Formula One's only Japanese driver on the grid, Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi prepares to head home for the Japanese Grand Prix and in preparation, the team have continued with their support message on the car and a special guest list for the event.
The message on the Sauber C-30 Ferrari is:
我々の祈り、日本に届きますように。
This literal translation of this is:
"May our prayers reach the people in Japan."
Kobayashi has invited a group of children from one of the disaster-affected regions to the Grand Prix weekend. These children are members of the "MJC Ensemble", a girls' choir group who mainly perform in Minami-Soma city of Fukushima Prefecture. The girls will be accompanied by their parents or family members, and there will be a total of 60 guests in this group visiting Suzuka.
As the nation continues to recover from the devastating earthquake and related tsunami, Kobayashi has been very supportive of the relief efforts all year and having the MJC attend the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka on the 9th of October 2011 will be a memorable event for him:
"I hope the children from Minami-Soma have an enjoyable weekend. I will make sure they are well looked after in terms of their travel, accommodation etc. I will be proud of them and their heartbreaking singing, telling the world how deeply grateful and robust Japan is."