Kovalainen: I could have been a good F1 driver

We wrote that Hekki Kovalainen accepted an invitation to join Jenson Button’s team in the Extreme E series. In an interview with Mirror Sport, the Finn spoke about this decision and the early end of his Formula 1 career.. .

Heikki Kovalainen: “A few weeks ago I received a message from one of the Jenson team members asking if I wanted to participate. I said, “Yes, why not?” I’ve always enjoyed driving different cars. Even speaking in Formula 1, I spent several days off-roading in rally cars, although I did not participate in any races.

The passion for these races has grown in recent years. At the end of 2021 I decided to stop circuit racing and focus fully on rallying. I don’t think I will ever be a WRC world champion, but the decision to join Extreme E is partly due to a desire to hone my skills in sand and mud racing. But I also care about the environment, although before that I drove cars with V8 and V12 petrol engines.

I didn’t win the title in Formula 1, but in most of the series where I’ve had the chance to speak, I’ve won. I won the rally, I have a victory in the Grand Prix, titles in the youth series. Winning Extreme E would add another line to my resume. I am motivated by the opportunity to prove myself in different categories of motorsport.

Once in Formula 1 I was sure I was ready for this, but now I understand that I wasn’t. It turned out to be extremely difficult to maximize the entire Grand Prix weekend. Now I understand that I did not work enough with the team, did not pay enough attention to the little things, and all this is extremely necessary to compete at such a high level.

When I came to Renault, it was a strong team. Our car didn’t win, but we were able to earn points with it regularly. The season started off badly for me, and by the time we got to Canada Flavio Briatore was ready to get off me, but the next day I put in a decent race, moving from seventeenth to fourth and then gradually on at a rapid pace. By the end of the year everything was more or less adjusted, I added, when suddenly the opportunity came to go to McLaren.

But even at that time I was not ready to get really serious results. In the two years I’ve spent at McLaren I haven’t revealed my potential. I knew I could drive better.

Once in Caterham I realized that I was getting stronger physically and mentally, that I was working better with the team, but the car was so slow that I couldn’t get any results.

At the beginning of my Formula 1 career, I got a good car too quickly and I wasn’t ready. I don’t think I’ve ever been able to learn quickly. I always needed time.

I feel I could be a good F1 driver, better than average. I’m not sure if I would have performed at the level of Hamilton, Senna or Schumacher, but I could be a good asset to many teams if things were different.

It’s a shame McLaren couldn’t do better. It was a great team. We matched. I’m usually very organized – I like to be on time – everyone at McLaren and Ron Dennis was the same. Everything must be done perfectly. Then I thought: “This team is organized just like me. Everything will be great.” But nothing happened.

McLaren really needed someone who wouldn’t cause problems like Alonso did before. I think that was one of the reasons they invited me. I didn’t get into politics, I didn’t pull the blanket over me – I was a team player. The results were not good enough, but I felt they needed me after Fernando.

Unfortunately, my Formula 1 career ended prematurely. I would love to race for a few more years, but I couldn’t get enough results to continue my career. At one point I had no money, no sponsors and, to be honest, no desire to try to hold on. But now I don’t mind.”