Home
News
In Focus
Business
Metro
Nation
World
Sports
Feature
Opinion
View more »Opinion Columns
Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
Restaurants get off to a quick start thanks to game-changing policies
High service charges on event ticket refunds call for further regulation
Sunday
- Subscribe
Related News
Home » Sports » Motor Racing
Kovalainen expects better ride in 2009
Source: Agencies |
January 19, 2009, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
HEIKKI Kovalainen is frustrated that he didn't contribute enough to McLaren's overall points total last season for the team to capture the Formula One constructors' title along with Lewis Hamilton's drivers' championship.
The Finn believes, however, his ability will shine through in 2009.
Kovalainen is convinced that last year's results ?? only one grand prix victory, three podium finishes, one pole position and a seventh place finish in the drivers' championship ?? did not reflect the work he put in on and off the race circuits.
"I think I put perhaps too much expectation on myself, and sometimes I was too hard on myself if I didn't get the pole position or didn't win the race," he said. "I think I had some good really races. Even compared to Lewis there were many positives even though he managed to score more points.."
Kovalainen's overall performance wasn't helped by three retirements, a crash at the Spanish GP which led to him being flown to hospital with a minor concussion, a stall on the grid at Monaco, a puncture at the Turkish GP and getting penalized five places in qualifying in Malaysia.
"I think first of all I have to finish more races," said the 27-year-old Finn. "It is going to be the key without any incidents, any problems, to score more points on Sundays is the number one issue.
"And then just to work with the team, I don't believe there are any magic tricks or any special area that I really need to improve. I hope we can improve every area and the results should be better."
Kovalainen doesn't believe that having a world champion in the team will put more pressure on him to support Hamilton who became the youngest ever winner of the drivers' championship at age 23.
"Certainly the attention is more on Lewis, but I don't feel even if I had more attention it would be a problem for my work," said Kovalainen.
"It is just good to have a strong teammate, a good teammate.
"He is a quick driver, he is a very good character, we get on well with each other and together we can push the team forward. That is the most important thing."
The Finn believes, however, his ability will shine through in 2009.
Kovalainen is convinced that last year's results ?? only one grand prix victory, three podium finishes, one pole position and a seventh place finish in the drivers' championship ?? did not reflect the work he put in on and off the race circuits.
"I think I put perhaps too much expectation on myself, and sometimes I was too hard on myself if I didn't get the pole position or didn't win the race," he said. "I think I had some good really races. Even compared to Lewis there were many positives even though he managed to score more points.."
Kovalainen's overall performance wasn't helped by three retirements, a crash at the Spanish GP which led to him being flown to hospital with a minor concussion, a stall on the grid at Monaco, a puncture at the Turkish GP and getting penalized five places in qualifying in Malaysia.
"I think first of all I have to finish more races," said the 27-year-old Finn. "It is going to be the key without any incidents, any problems, to score more points on Sundays is the number one issue.
"And then just to work with the team, I don't believe there are any magic tricks or any special area that I really need to improve. I hope we can improve every area and the results should be better."
Kovalainen doesn't believe that having a world champion in the team will put more pressure on him to support Hamilton who became the youngest ever winner of the drivers' championship at age 23.
"Certainly the attention is more on Lewis, but I don't feel even if I had more attention it would be a problem for my work," said Kovalainen.
"It is just good to have a strong teammate, a good teammate.
"He is a quick driver, he is a very good character, we get on well with each other and together we can push the team forward. That is the most important thing."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
