kovalainen heikki

Keen to put a disappointing 2008 Formula One campaign behind him, Heikki Kovalainen is wasting no time in starting his preparations for 2009 and has confirmed that he will be back on track later this month.

Heikki Kovalainen may have been rewarded with a new McLaren contract for his 2008 efforts, but insists that the team has not asked him to support team-mate Lewis Hamilton's world title bid.

Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug has added weight to McLaren's defence of Heikki Kovalainen amid suggestions that the Finn is to under threat of being replaced by Nico Rosberg next season.

McLaren has revealed that a mistake made in the preparation of its wheels for the Spanish Grand Prix led to Heikki Kovalainen suffering a high-speed impact with the tyre wall while poised to challenge for victory in Barcelona.

Although many drivers probably left the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with similar thoughts, Heikki Kovalainen and Williams team-mates Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima had more reason than most to lament missed opportunities in the Canadian Grand Prix.

McLaren-Mercedes driver Heikki Kovalainen has said that he will push harder in Malaysia this weekend in a bid to build on the fifth place finish he notched up last Sunday.