Thursday, May 7, 2009

Heikki looking forward to Barcelona return

Wednesday 6th May 2009

Heikki Kovalainen still has no recollection of his horror smash in Barcelona a year ago, but is confident it will have no bearing on this weekend's return to the Circuit de Catalunya.

Kovalainen remarkably escaped unhurt after ploughing nose first into a tyre wall at 150mph during the Spanish Grand Prix, destroying the front end of his McLaren.

The Finn was immediately knocked unconscious by the force of the impact, and after being removed from the wreckage, was taken to a nearby hospital.

After undergoing a series of CT scans immediately upon his arrival and again the following day after remaining in hospital overnight for observation, Kovalainen was given the all-clear and later released prior to spending a few days in Spain to relax.

But as to what happened, the 27-year-old still has no clue as he said: "I remember everything until I started the lap on which I crashed.

"When Robert (Kubica) and Lewis (Hamilton) went to the pits I remember thinking I had a clear track, and it was time to try to push.

"Then the next time I realised what was happening I was in the hospital and wondering 'What's going on?' I was a little bit confused.

"But since then I've already done some testing there, and I've had no flashbacks. I've no bad memories from there, no trauma at all.

"So I'm looking forward to going there. I've quite a lot of local fans there who were there at the tests, so it will be nice to go there.

"Apart from that, it won't make any difference."

The accident was one of a number of bad-luck incidents to hamper Kovalainen's cause last season, with McLaren's slow start to this year doing him no favours.

It has resulted in him taking measures into his own hands to ensure he is not a bit-part player within the team, certainly in comparison to world champion team-mate Hamilton.

"When the winter holiday was over around mid-January and I saw my calendar, I requested to double the amount of simulator days, and to double the time with my engineers," revealed Kovalainen.

"I've had a lot of meetings with my engineers at the factory where I'm spending a lot more time. I've met different people and I'm understanding more about the car.

"Last year I was spending a day there, then going back home for a few days. This year, between Malaysia and China, I stayed all week in England, every day doing different things at the factory.

"After last year I felt I had to take action, to spend some time there, and to be honest I've found it very beneficial. I feel I've integrated better into the team.

"When I joined this team I got into the McLaren way of racing very quickly, but now I feel much more of that and I can get more help from different people.

"I feel it has definitely helped me. I feel in better shape, I understand things better, and I have been able to get more out of the team.

"I've put the extra effort in, something I had to do to improve on the performance of last year, and I feel I'm in a better position.

"It's certainly been the right choice, and it's something I'll keep doing throughout the season."

Source : Planet F1

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