Kamui Kobayashi has almost certainly guaranteed himself a place in Formula One for next season after impressing Toyota motorsport boss John Howett.

Taking up the seat for the final two races vacated by Timo Glock in the wake of his qualifying accident in Japan that left him with a cracked vertebra, Kobayashi has shone in Brazil and Abu Dhabi.

Kobayashi showed no fear, at one stage going wheel-to-wheel with new world champion Jenson Button, and now he is "70 to 80% certain" of being given a permanent contract, according to Howett.

"We're very impressed," said Howett of Kobayashi, who is a product of the team's driver development programme.

"What we like is his real fighting spirit. He's not intimidated by anybody, which is very positive."

Asked if that was one of the seats taken up for next year as neither Trulli nor Glock are likely to be retained, Howett added: "It looks like it.

"We'll have to give it very serious consideration. He's shown very good, strong resolve, so we have to be serious.

"He has come through the Toyota driver programme, which is a very positive reason. He's also Japanese and we're a Japanese team, so there are lots of positives."

Kobayashi would be cheap in terms of salary, as Howett recognised by describing him as "definitely good value".