Jul.10 (GMM) Reports about a new contract for 2012 were "too early", Kamui Kobayashi has insisted at Silverstone.

A few days ago, the Swiss newspaper Blick - with close links to Hinwil based Sauber - said confirmation of a new deal for the exciting Japanese is due "soon".

The report said the 24-year-old is almost certainly staying at Sauber, but he is earning increasing respect within the F1 paddock, with British pundit Martin Brundle on Saturday describing Kobayashi as a 'world class driver'.

"Sauber is a good place to learn F1 -- it's a private team and if something is not going well then Peter Sauber talks to me and I have to improve," Kobayashi is quoted as saying by AFP.

"It's a good experience. But I still have more than nine races (to go) and it is too early to say (what will happen). Red Bull and McLaren are top teams, but I don't think they have any space," he added.

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