Heikki Kovalainen

Lore & Background

Kovalainen was supported by the Renault Driver Development programme early in his racing career, during which he won the World Series by Nissan championship and finished runner-up in the GP2 series. Renault signed him on as a full-time Formula One test driver for 2006, and then promoted him to a race seat for 2007. He gained his first podium by finishing second in the Japanese Grand Prix that year. Kovalainen moved to McLaren for the 2008 season, where he partnered Lewis Hamilton. His second season in Formula One saw him achieve his first pole position at Silverstone and his first victory at the Hungaroring, becoming the 100th driver to win a Formula One Grand Prix. He remained with the team for the 2009 season. In 2010, Kovalainen moved to the newly created Team Lotus where he also remained for 2011 and 2012, with the team renamed Caterham F1 for 2012, Kovalainen's last full season in Formula One. Although he didn't score points in the uncompetitive cars, he earned respect for outperforming drivers who were racing in similarly uncompetitive cars. Kovalainen competed in the last two races of the 2013 season for Lotus F1 as a short-notice stand-in for regular driver Kimi Räikkönen. In 2015, Kovalainen moved to Japan to compete in Super GT in the GT500 class with Team SARD. He won the championship in his second season in the series in 2016 alongside co-driver Kohei Hirate.

In Their Own Story

The rain fell heavily over Hungary in 2008. Kovalainen gripped the wheel of the R28, eyes fixed on the spray ahead. The track was a mirror, reflecting the floodlights. He pushed past his rivals, the engine screaming through the wet corners. Crossing the line first, he knew this moment would echo through the team's history long after the livery changed from yellow to blue.

Reader's Guide

Kovalainen began his career in karting from 1991 to 2000, finishing runner-up in the Finnish Formula A championship in 1999 and 2000. In 2000, he won the Nordic championship and the Paris-Bercy Elf Masters event, and finished third in the World Formula Super A Championship. He began his car racing career in the British Formula Renault Championship in 2001, finishing fourth with two wins, two pole positions, five podiums and three fastest laps, earning the Rookie of the Year award. He also finished eighth in the Macau Grand Prix. In 2002, he moved to the British Formula 3 Championship with Fortec Motorsport, finishing third overall with five wins, three pole positions and three fastest laps, again earning Rookie of the Year. He placed second in Macau and fourth at the Marlboro Masters. In 2003, he moved to the World Series by Nissan with the Gabord team, finishing runner-up to teammate Franck Montagny. He continued in the series in 2004 with Pons Racing, winning the championship ahead of Tiago Monteiro with 192 points and six wins. In 2005, he entered the GP2 Series with Arden International, finishing runner-up to Nico Rosberg, 15 points adrift. He won the first round at Imola, and also won at the Nürburgring, Magny-Cours, Istanbul (sprint race), and Monza.

Did You Know?

• Kovalainen won the 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix with McLaren, becoming the 100th driver to win a Formula One Grand Prix.
• He won the Super GT championship in 2016 with Team SARD alongside co-driver Kohei Hirate.
• Kovalainen was the Finnish Kart Driver of the Year in 2000.
• He received the Finnish Driver of the Year award in 2004.