It boils in the Finnish driver market because Kimi Räikkönen's sensational comeback just keeps on going on and on. They don't whisper a thing in Williams whereas they tell straightly from Renault again that they are negotiating. Neither formula necessarily promises anything.
In principle one doesn't have to leave it up to Räikkönen when it comes to filling driver seats. Williams has at the least as their Plan B to put Valtteri Bottas racing, now that they have in addition to sponsor money also the assurance of his performance in Abu Dhabi's rookie test.
At this moment it looks most obvious that Bottas is more likely on the F1-grid with Williams next year than Räikkönen is.
My Polish reporter buddy just sent me greetings that he believes Finland has three drivers in next year's F1-serie: Bottas in Williams, Räikkönen in Lotus and Kovalainen in Caterham.
It's good to live in hope...
Turun Sanomat
HEIKKI KULTA
Courtesy: Nicole
Showing posts with label Kovalainen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kovalainen. Show all posts
Monday, November 28, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
F1 stars will have their fitness refined in January
New year, new tricks ... Or not quite - at least in the Formula 1 sport
World champion Sebastian Vettel will put on a big gear in his physical training on Sunday when his trainer Tommy Pärmäkoski returns from Finland to his working place in Switzerland.
Heikki Kovalainen again has been training in his home surroundings in Kainuu while his private trainer Petri Lehikoinen has worked with him from Switzerland.
Turun Sanomat asked each trainer whether these two racing drivers have something new coming into their everyday training.
- We will continue with the old systems. Of course I have had time to think of something new to add during the Christmas break, Pärmäkoski who was reached at the airport promises.
- All the stuff that have proved to be good will remain in the program. It's been a short and intensive training. There's always something that can be fine-tuned, Lehikoinen says.
Both Vettel's and Kovalainen's training season is however different.
As the World Champion Vettel was swept in the celebration of his lifetime, toured around the world and had to hold back with season 2011's preparations for weeks.
Kovalainen again suffered a severe concussion on November 28th in the Race of Champions, which forced the man to rest for two weeks. The doctors gave him permission to go back to training in mid-December.
Since the current F1 drivers don't drive one meter with racing cars during December-January, these two months is by far the most important time for sharpening up the physical condition.
- I have worked as an e-mail -coach and Sebastian has been training well once a day from December. January is a really important phase for us and we will continue the hardened work-out in February too between the testing.
- The season is demanding and record long now when it lasts from March to the end of November and there are 20 races in the serie. Fortunately there is mostly one week in between the races so that it leaves time for the restoring training, Pärmäkoski says.
Vettel, who was chosen as the Sportsman of the Year in Germany doesn't have to start building up his fitness from zero. Pärmäkoski praises his protegé and tells that he has a strong physical fitness and is also very specific with what he puts in his mouth.
Kovalainen has always been one of the most fit drivers in F1. According to Lehikoinen the mandatory rest after the second concussion in a couple of years was sort of an advantage.
- Hits that hard have to be taken seriously. We had some time to do some good training after the season and now he has three good training weeks under his belt.
- I have sent the programs to Heikki, he has done them and reported back to me. With Heikki's experience everything has gone smoothly.
- This is now the most important training time. The driving will begin in early February and then we go again on their terms, Lehikoinen said.
The first test period will be 1-3. February in Valencia. 10-13.2. in Barcelona, 18-21.2 in Jerez and 2-6.3 in Bahrain. There will be alltogether 15 driving days before the season starts on March 13th with Bahrain GP.
Turun Sanomat
HEIKKI KULTA
Courtesy: Nicole
World champion Sebastian Vettel will put on a big gear in his physical training on Sunday when his trainer Tommy Pärmäkoski returns from Finland to his working place in Switzerland.Heikki Kovalainen again has been training in his home surroundings in Kainuu while his private trainer Petri Lehikoinen has worked with him from Switzerland.
Turun Sanomat asked each trainer whether these two racing drivers have something new coming into their everyday training.
- We will continue with the old systems. Of course I have had time to think of something new to add during the Christmas break, Pärmäkoski who was reached at the airport promises.
- All the stuff that have proved to be good will remain in the program. It's been a short and intensive training. There's always something that can be fine-tuned, Lehikoinen says.
Both Vettel's and Kovalainen's training season is however different.
As the World Champion Vettel was swept in the celebration of his lifetime, toured around the world and had to hold back with season 2011's preparations for weeks.
Kovalainen again suffered a severe concussion on November 28th in the Race of Champions, which forced the man to rest for two weeks. The doctors gave him permission to go back to training in mid-December.
Since the current F1 drivers don't drive one meter with racing cars during December-January, these two months is by far the most important time for sharpening up the physical condition.
- I have worked as an e-mail -coach and Sebastian has been training well once a day from December. January is a really important phase for us and we will continue the hardened work-out in February too between the testing.
- The season is demanding and record long now when it lasts from March to the end of November and there are 20 races in the serie. Fortunately there is mostly one week in between the races so that it leaves time for the restoring training, Pärmäkoski says.
Vettel, who was chosen as the Sportsman of the Year in Germany doesn't have to start building up his fitness from zero. Pärmäkoski praises his protegé and tells that he has a strong physical fitness and is also very specific with what he puts in his mouth.
Kovalainen has always been one of the most fit drivers in F1. According to Lehikoinen the mandatory rest after the second concussion in a couple of years was sort of an advantage.
- Hits that hard have to be taken seriously. We had some time to do some good training after the season and now he has three good training weeks under his belt.
- I have sent the programs to Heikki, he has done them and reported back to me. With Heikki's experience everything has gone smoothly.
- This is now the most important training time. The driving will begin in early February and then we go again on their terms, Lehikoinen said.
The first test period will be 1-3. February in Valencia. 10-13.2. in Barcelona, 18-21.2 in Jerez and 2-6.3 in Bahrain. There will be alltogether 15 driving days before the season starts on March 13th with Bahrain GP.
Turun Sanomat
HEIKKI KULTA
Courtesy: Nicole
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Heikki Kovalainen & Nightwish
During my summer vacation I had a chance to play drums with famous Nightwish during their summer camp!
Source: OfficialKovalainen
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Chinese GP: Lotus qualifying report
Lotus Racing Team Principal Tony Fernandes was one of the last people to make it out of Europe before most of the airspace was shut down, leaving Paris after being given the prestigious Officier of the Legion d'Honneur award in a ceremony on Wednesday, and arrived in China to see Jarno Trulli qualify 20th on 1.39.399 and Heikki Kovalainen 21st on 1.39.520 after a busy session at the Shanghai International Circuit.
Both Lotus Racing drivers were out early in the session and despite an early spin for Heikki, settled down well, staying best of the new teams until the dying seconds of the session. After a strong showing in all three practice sessions the team looks in good shape for tomorrow's race and will be looking to put on a good show for the growing numbers of their local Chinese fans, and the fast expanding Lotus Racing army across Asia and around the world.
Jarno Trulli:
"It was a shame because I think I could have gone quicker, but the strong wind played a part and it wasn't easy out there. It was a very gusty and I struggled a bit with that but having had three good practice sessions I'm expecting a better race tomorrow."
Heikki Kovalainen:
"It was ok today but I couldn't quite get the perfect lap. The first two sectors were ok but just before the back straight I couldn't quite get the exit right and I think I lost about three tenths there. The wind has played its part today - in some braking zones at the back of the track there's a tailwind which unbalances the car, but the second to last corner is into a headwind and it felt really good under braking into there but it's no big deal - it's just one of those things! The race tomorrow will be better for sure. The car has felt good all weekend on heavy fuel so let's see what happens then."
Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer:
"It was the classic mixed bag today. We've been strong in practice and if it wasn't for Heikki's final sector we would have finished best of the new teams, but sometimes it doesn't go according to plan. We were satisfied with the setups on both cars and while it's been a bit disappointing I'm confident the work we put in throughout practice, on long runs with heavy fuel, will pay off for us tomorrow."
Tony Fernandes, Team Principal:
"First of all I'm just really pleased to be here in China! It was a very close shave - I think I was about an hour ahead of the airspace shut down and this is one of the races I've been really looking forward to coming to with the team. The spectacular growth of China over recent years is an inspiration to me and the whole Lotus Racing team - it shows how high we should be setting our sights and how we can reach the top by working hard to achieve your dreams. Seeing the fans' banners for us in the stands makes me very proud, and shows that Lotus Racing has a real significance for Chinese motorsport fans, who know a good thing when they see it!"
Source: Motorsport
Both Lotus Racing drivers were out early in the session and despite an early spin for Heikki, settled down well, staying best of the new teams until the dying seconds of the session. After a strong showing in all three practice sessions the team looks in good shape for tomorrow's race and will be looking to put on a good show for the growing numbers of their local Chinese fans, and the fast expanding Lotus Racing army across Asia and around the world.
Jarno Trulli:
"It was a shame because I think I could have gone quicker, but the strong wind played a part and it wasn't easy out there. It was a very gusty and I struggled a bit with that but having had three good practice sessions I'm expecting a better race tomorrow."
Heikki Kovalainen:
"It was ok today but I couldn't quite get the perfect lap. The first two sectors were ok but just before the back straight I couldn't quite get the exit right and I think I lost about three tenths there. The wind has played its part today - in some braking zones at the back of the track there's a tailwind which unbalances the car, but the second to last corner is into a headwind and it felt really good under braking into there but it's no big deal - it's just one of those things! The race tomorrow will be better for sure. The car has felt good all weekend on heavy fuel so let's see what happens then."
Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer:
"It was the classic mixed bag today. We've been strong in practice and if it wasn't for Heikki's final sector we would have finished best of the new teams, but sometimes it doesn't go according to plan. We were satisfied with the setups on both cars and while it's been a bit disappointing I'm confident the work we put in throughout practice, on long runs with heavy fuel, will pay off for us tomorrow."
Tony Fernandes, Team Principal:
"First of all I'm just really pleased to be here in China! It was a very close shave - I think I was about an hour ahead of the airspace shut down and this is one of the races I've been really looking forward to coming to with the team. The spectacular growth of China over recent years is an inspiration to me and the whole Lotus Racing team - it shows how high we should be setting our sights and how we can reach the top by working hard to achieve your dreams. Seeing the fans' banners for us in the stands makes me very proud, and shows that Lotus Racing has a real significance for Chinese motorsport fans, who know a good thing when they see it!"
Source: Motorsport
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
F1 people dodging Twitter ban in China
F1's new obsession with Twitter might have to take a backseat role in China this weekend.
Particularly over the pre-season period, many F1 figures - including drivers, bosses, team PR departments, media members and insiders - tapped into the power and popularity of the growing microblogging phenomenon.
But the Chinese government has banned and blocked many forms of social media on the internet, extending to Twitter in late 2009.
However, it seems there are ways to dodge China's Twitter ban. Having expressing dismay at the ban, HRT driver Karun Chandhok was greeted at Shanghai airport this week by three "very sweet fans" who told him the tricks.
Also on Wednesday, McLaren, Mike Gascoyne, Mark Webber, Heikki Kovalainen and several journalists have been Tweeting from Shanghai.
It is not clear if or how China's estimated 30,000 internet police will react to the violations of the internet censorship laws.
The operator of Virgin's official Twitter account said: "We'll probably just go low-key for China (in 2010) and then look at a proper solution for next year."
Source: Motorsport
Particularly over the pre-season period, many F1 figures - including drivers, bosses, team PR departments, media members and insiders - tapped into the power and popularity of the growing microblogging phenomenon.
But the Chinese government has banned and blocked many forms of social media on the internet, extending to Twitter in late 2009.
However, it seems there are ways to dodge China's Twitter ban. Having expressing dismay at the ban, HRT driver Karun Chandhok was greeted at Shanghai airport this week by three "very sweet fans" who told him the tricks.
Also on Wednesday, McLaren, Mike Gascoyne, Mark Webber, Heikki Kovalainen and several journalists have been Tweeting from Shanghai.
It is not clear if or how China's estimated 30,000 internet police will react to the violations of the internet censorship laws.
The operator of Virgin's official Twitter account said: "We'll probably just go low-key for China (in 2010) and then look at a proper solution for next year."
Source: Motorsport
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Kovalainen: Day With My Trainer
Here is a preview in to a day with my trainer Petri Lehikoinen. He is former alpine skiing team physio and has worked with a lot of other Finnish athletes as well. He is with me now for the 2nd year and he has done an incredible job so far. He doesn't like cameras very much!
Source: OfficialKovalainen
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Kovalainen more confident over hydraulics
Heikki Kovalainen is cautiously optimistic about the Lotus hydraulics system as the second Grand Prix of the season approaches. The Finn was the only finisher for any of Formula 1's three new teams in Bahrain and is sure that his car's reliability is continuing to improve, despite a selection of niggles.
With Lotus and fellow debutants Virgin Racing having suffered a number of hydraulics-related glitches throughout winter testing, the former was delighted as both cars were officially classified at the end of the season-opening race, despite Trulli stopping on his final lap.
"I am quite satisfied with how our team has solved these problems," Kovalainen explained to Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat. "Of course, it's still 'touch wood' - Jarno came to a halt just at the end of the first race but he got through it pretty much without any problems.
"It's just such a complex hydraulics system. It has a lot of bending in it and parts linked up to others; they are a bit weak and starting to leak in some points - once that happens, you lose power steering."
Despite the natural teething troubles of any new team in the sport, the former Renault and McLaren driver understands the differences between a brand-new team and his former workplaces.
"There should always be some pressure on, so that the system works," he continued. "It's a bit old-fashioned but I don't think that this is a beastly system; when it works, everything is okay, but it's just too uncertain and not quite up to date."
Source: GPUPDATE
Friday, March 19, 2010
Press conference in Helsinki, March 18th, 2010 Heikki Kovalainen
Yesterday I made a quick visit to Helsinki to meet with the Finnish media and announce my partnership with Fonecta, the most popular service directory provider in Finland.
Source: YouTube @ OfficialKovalainen
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Leg Training with Heikki Kovalainen
Using pedal stepper I am simulating the movement what I do with my legs in a real F1 car, while watching youtube F1 onboard footage from the screen. I used 85kg weight for the legs and 5kg disc as a steering wheel, and I do it for 1min then rest for 1min, aiming to work for the speed of the leg so it reacts as quickly as possible, not so much the strength of the legs.
Source: YouTube @ OfficialKovalainen
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
New Lotus car worse than Minardi - Kovalainen
By Motorsport.com/GMM
Heikki Kovalainen has admitted that his new car, the Lotus T127, is worse than the Minardi he tested more than six years ago.
Minardi chief Paul Stoddart gave the then 22-year-old Finn a two-day test at Vallelunga in late 2003 and nearly signed him to race.
When asked by Finland's Turun Sanomat to compare the Minardi with the Lotus, fielded by the new Malaysian backed team in 2010, Kovalainen answered: "It's difficult because the tyres are so different.
"But the Lotus is probably missing more aerodynamically than the Minardi cars (were) when you compare them with the top (cars)."
At the end of 2003, the Minardis were regularly 5 seconds off the pace of the leaders, while Kovalainen's teammate Jarno Trulli said last weekend that he thinks the T127 is about four seconds behind.
Kovalainen was nearly 5 seconds behind when the 2010 pre-season came to a close at Barcelona on Sunday.
But in 2010, there is more parity between teams in terms of engine and tyre performance, meaning the differences in lap time is substantially due to the chassis.
Kovalainen, now 28, admitted that Lotus' "biggest problem" currently is aerodynamics.
To Turun Sanomat, he also rued his pre-season preparations, revealing that he has "never gone into a season with less testing".
Team boss Tony Fernandes thinks Lotus has progressed well this winter.
"We reckon we will be 3.5 seconds off the fastest car (in Bahrain), an improvement of 5 seconds from Jerez. We keep chipping away," he said.
Source: Motorsport
Heikki Kovalainen has admitted that his new car, the Lotus T127, is worse than the Minardi he tested more than six years ago. Minardi chief Paul Stoddart gave the then 22-year-old Finn a two-day test at Vallelunga in late 2003 and nearly signed him to race.
When asked by Finland's Turun Sanomat to compare the Minardi with the Lotus, fielded by the new Malaysian backed team in 2010, Kovalainen answered: "It's difficult because the tyres are so different.
"But the Lotus is probably missing more aerodynamically than the Minardi cars (were) when you compare them with the top (cars)."
At the end of 2003, the Minardis were regularly 5 seconds off the pace of the leaders, while Kovalainen's teammate Jarno Trulli said last weekend that he thinks the T127 is about four seconds behind.
Kovalainen was nearly 5 seconds behind when the 2010 pre-season came to a close at Barcelona on Sunday.
But in 2010, there is more parity between teams in terms of engine and tyre performance, meaning the differences in lap time is substantially due to the chassis.
Kovalainen, now 28, admitted that Lotus' "biggest problem" currently is aerodynamics.
To Turun Sanomat, he also rued his pre-season preparations, revealing that he has "never gone into a season with less testing".
Team boss Tony Fernandes thinks Lotus has progressed well this winter.
"We reckon we will be 3.5 seconds off the fastest car (in Bahrain), an improvement of 5 seconds from Jerez. We keep chipping away," he said.
Source: Motorsport
Monday, February 22, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Kovalainen: Lotus F1 lacking downforce – but car has potential
Whilst acknowledging that the new Lotus T127 is currently lacking downforce in relation to its F1 2010 rivals, Heikki Kovalainen insists the car has potential - and so does the Cosworth engine in the back of
Heikki Kovalainen has revealed that whilst the new Lotus T127 might be lacking downforce in relation to the front-running contenders in F1 2010, it nonetheless has 'potential' – despite the fact that he delayed the team's preparations somewhat with an early and heavy 'off' on his first run in it during pre-season testing at Jerez last week.
The Mike Gascoyne-designed T127 is the first Lotus car to adorn an F1 race track in some 16 years, but so far the closest it has got to the leading pace is a gaping 4.2 seconds in Kovalainen's hands on Friday – and at times it has been a good deal further adrift than that. Downforce, the Finn acknowledges, is the chief bugbear at the moment.
“We have not been able to develop the aero package as we should have,” he reflected, speaking to reporters in Spain. “We had five months to build the car, and everything has been a bit conservative. Before they started to design the car, they had no information about the engine, so cooling and everything is quite conservative.
“I think it's quite clear that we're lacking downforce compared to the quickest cars. It's not surprising – we expected it – and just looking at the numbers, we knew where we were going to be.
“For sure we can improve – just by looking at the car I could probably improve a few things. I'm sure we will be able to do this, but it will just take a little time. Once everybody in the UK – the design and manufacturing teams – begins working, we'll be able to make big improvements.”
Kovalainen's accident on Thursday necessitated the overnight delivery of a new front wing due to a lack of spare parts at the circuit, but on a more positive note, the reliability of the car has proven to be impressive thus far, with the McLaren refugee as well as team-mate Jarno Trulli and the Anglo/Malaysian outfit's test and reserve driver Fairuz Fauzy all benefitting from plenty of largely trouble-free laps behind the wheel.
“I think the potential is there,” the Suomussalmi native underlined, according to ESPN. “The initial feeling was good. In the slow-speed corners the car is behaving quite well, but it's lacking grip, so in the high-speed [corners] we lose quite a bit of time, probably partly because of the set-up problems as well. Fundamentally, though, it is okay and I quite enjoyed driving it.”
Kovalainen similarly had some encouraging words of praise for the Cosworth V8 powerplant in the back of the T127, coming as he has done from having raced with the sport's Mercedes-Benz benchmark behind him for the past two seasons.
“In terms of pure power it's not too far away,” he affirmed. “It's probably not quite as good, but overall the feeling is quite positive – and the drivability felt very competitive as well compared to the Mercedes. The power is in slightly different areas, but I feel at the moment it is one of the stronger parts of the car.”
Source: Crash.net
Heikki Kovalainen has revealed that whilst the new Lotus T127 might be lacking downforce in relation to the front-running contenders in F1 2010, it nonetheless has 'potential' – despite the fact that he delayed the team's preparations somewhat with an early and heavy 'off' on his first run in it during pre-season testing at Jerez last week.The Mike Gascoyne-designed T127 is the first Lotus car to adorn an F1 race track in some 16 years, but so far the closest it has got to the leading pace is a gaping 4.2 seconds in Kovalainen's hands on Friday – and at times it has been a good deal further adrift than that. Downforce, the Finn acknowledges, is the chief bugbear at the moment.
“We have not been able to develop the aero package as we should have,” he reflected, speaking to reporters in Spain. “We had five months to build the car, and everything has been a bit conservative. Before they started to design the car, they had no information about the engine, so cooling and everything is quite conservative.
“I think it's quite clear that we're lacking downforce compared to the quickest cars. It's not surprising – we expected it – and just looking at the numbers, we knew where we were going to be.
“For sure we can improve – just by looking at the car I could probably improve a few things. I'm sure we will be able to do this, but it will just take a little time. Once everybody in the UK – the design and manufacturing teams – begins working, we'll be able to make big improvements.”
Kovalainen's accident on Thursday necessitated the overnight delivery of a new front wing due to a lack of spare parts at the circuit, but on a more positive note, the reliability of the car has proven to be impressive thus far, with the McLaren refugee as well as team-mate Jarno Trulli and the Anglo/Malaysian outfit's test and reserve driver Fairuz Fauzy all benefitting from plenty of largely trouble-free laps behind the wheel.
“I think the potential is there,” the Suomussalmi native underlined, according to ESPN. “The initial feeling was good. In the slow-speed corners the car is behaving quite well, but it's lacking grip, so in the high-speed [corners] we lose quite a bit of time, probably partly because of the set-up problems as well. Fundamentally, though, it is okay and I quite enjoyed driving it.”
Kovalainen similarly had some encouraging words of praise for the Cosworth V8 powerplant in the back of the T127, coming as he has done from having raced with the sport's Mercedes-Benz benchmark behind him for the past two seasons.
“In terms of pure power it's not too far away,” he affirmed. “It's probably not quite as good, but overall the feeling is quite positive – and the drivability felt very competitive as well compared to the Mercedes. The power is in slightly different areas, but I feel at the moment it is one of the stronger parts of the car.”
Source: Crash.net
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