Heikki Kovalainen's Formula One dream becoming reality

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Finnish racing driver Heikki Kovalainen looks certain to accompany Giancarlo Fisichella of Italy as a Renault driver around the Formula One circuits next year. Renault boss Flavio Briatore confirmed this indirectly in an interview published on Saturday in the Italian sports daily Gazetta Dello Sport.
      "Even if I do not get Kimi Räikkönen, we're still standing strong", Briatore declared.
      "We have a young driver, with over 20,000 test kilometres in an F1 cockpit, who has proved he can be a serious contestant on the track."
     
The previous day it still looked possible that Australian Mark Webber might land a Renault seat before Kovalainen. Briatore's words have now clipped the wings from this rumour. "Webber is not available", Briatore stated.
      "I am not at liberty to discuss where Webber is heading. Maybe someone else will shed light on this on Monday", he added.
      Kovalainen himself still refuses to confirm that he will drive for Renault next year. When asked about it, the 24-year-old Finn just smiled enigmatically and stated: "I have not signed anything yet, but I am convinced I will race next year. The confirmation will follow in due course."
     
The fact that Kovalainen is slated to drive for Renault next year also tends to confirm the strong paddock rumours that Kimi Räikkönen will move from McLaren to Ferrari.
      According to a Helsingin Sanomat source, Briatore has given up on Räikkönen after learning that the Finn will sit behind a Ferrari wheel next year.
      From the Finnish point of view, next year's Formula One season will be particularly interesting, given the fact that the two top teams from this year could well both have a Finnish driver.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Räikkönen´s victory in Istanbul brings only marginal gains in F1 title race - Heikki Kovalainen´s F2 victory makes for double Finnish win in Turkey (22.8.2005)

Helsingin Sanomat