The 2011 season will throw up some "funny moments" due to the Pirelli tyre situation, according to Kamui Kobayashi.
"Maybe we will see a Red Bull being overtaken by a Hispania," Sauber’s Japanese driver, referring to the extreme degradation of the tyres seen in testing, told Auto Motor und Sport.
"If they’re on older hard tyres and Hispania have a brand new set of super-softs, it could happen," added Kobayashi.
"For the spectators it would certainly be a little confusing."
Meanwhile, Kobayashi welcomed the news about Suzuka renewing its grand prix contract for 2012, but admitted that Japan’s F1 golden days are over.
"Motor sport is still a European sport," said Kobayashi, 24.
"In Japan, sumo and baseball are the most popular, even though when there was Senna and Prost, it was fashionable to go to the F1 races.
"But sadly those times are over," he acknowledged.