Heikki Kovalainen to Minardi?

[alonso11]

According to this article Heikki Kovalainen -after his already scheduled RenaultF1 test- is likely to test for Minardi as well. Heikki Kovalainen is quoted as saying that it would be a great opportunity to start the season with Minardi and learn the basics of formula one with them.

He wouldn't be the first Biatore pilot to do so ey? Alonso and Webber did the same... However I think that it's only thinkable to happen to Heikki in 2004 if he massively impress during his RenaultF1 test in december,otherwise he will stay in Nissan V6 to win the title for Gabord-Renault-Junior team.

(I asked a Fin guy to help me out with the traslation of the article, however there is also some online translator that fails to to translate like very 2nd word but you can read its 'english' version here )

[ralf fan]

Hek what?? never heard of him! anyone know details?

[Bononi]

Another driver from Finland ???? What a little country full of racing drivers...

[noweels]

Ralf fan.... u have never heard of Heikki Were u been man/woman?

[big ears]

Would renault pay minardi for Hek to drive. Minardi needs a paid driver!

[PaulSands]

He was very impressive in British F3 in 2002...definitely the coming man in the latter part of the season

[Stranger]

Unfortunately he was teammate of Franck Montagny this year in the Nissan World Series. The success of Montagny caused Kovalainen to be 'out of sight'. I think with another teammate he would have been the best of the team, this year Montagny was just too dominant.

[topgirl]

I agree Stranger-it's Francks third year in the Nissan World Series so Heikki was always gonna be the 2nd driver. Heikki is testing Minardi on 10/11 December at Vallelunga in Italy.

[alonso11]

Originally posted by ralf fan
Hek what?? never heard of him! anyone know details?

There was another thread about Heikki as he is going to test for RenaultF1 in december.He is 22 years old (his birthday was about a month ago) he is a Biatore pilot and part of the RDD (Renault Driver Development) program, actually he is on the top of the RDD list and the most promising Fin driver recently.

In 2000 he finished 3rd in both the European and World karting championship plus won the Skandinavian championship

In 2001 he finished 4th in the British Formula Renault championship, (rookie of the year with 5 podium finishes, 2 victories, 3 fastest laps, 2 pole positions)

In 2002 he finished 3rd in the British Formula 3 championship, (rookie of the year with 12 podium finishes, 5 victories, 2 fastest laps, 2 pole positions)
International F3 races: runner-up of the Grand Prix of Macau, 2nd after the first leg of the Korean Super Prix (DNFed the 2nd leg)

Recently he is the team-mate of fellow Renault tester Franck Montagny in the Nissan V6 series, the highest ranked rookie AKA 3rd with one race to go (3 podium finishes, 1 victory, 2 pole positions so far)

[climb]

Well, i think too many drivers are being vredited of it: italian sources today rumnour about Tristan Gommendy.. onme more to a too long list, i guess..

[alonso11]

Testing the Renault on MICHELINS then 6 days later the Minardi on BRIDGESTONES must be a valuable experience.

[alonso11]

Yea climb, I've just read the Gommendy rumour too (but he has no test date scheduled yet) ... however he is also a RDD driver for a change

[x_dt]

Gommendy would be good to have in F1 given that theres only Panis representing France at the moment.

What happened to the rumours linking Gianmaria Bruni with Minardi?