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Heikki Kovalainen - This is the end of career?


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#1 Mendel

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 18:09

Devastating news today from Finnish MTV3 sports news.

Force India will not have Heikki as their driver. Caterham will probably need 2 drivers who pay for their seat next season.
Is this the end of career for Heikki Kovalainen as a Formula 1 race driver?

I still remember when the curse was cast in Hungary 2008. "First of many" they said.
Bye bye then, Niceman. It was great to follow your racing. I hope you get that 12th place in next race though. That´s the last straw that I can see. You need a wrecking crew on track. Maybe Crashjean can arrange?

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#2 MrMontecarlo

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 18:17

Time to say goodbye I guess. To be honest he never set the world on fire.

#3 tarmac

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 18:18

I think it ended three years ago. Same for Timo Glock

These teams will never rise. Are they even building 2014 cars right now? Doubtful

Edited by tarmac, 10 November 2012 - 18:21.


#4 Risil

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 18:32

Shame. Man had his moments. Fuji 2007 and that qualifying session at Silverstone in 2008 stand out as performances that no other drivers could've bettered. Hopefully he'll land a 12th place before the end of the year and keep his drive, but it would take something really unusual for that to happen.

I'd like to see him in the WEC though. I imagine he's made his enquiries about the third Toyota car at Le Mans next year. And there are apparently a couple of vacancies at the #3 Audi team, with Bernhard and Dumas being recalled by Porsche to help develop its own prototype. And has Rinaldo Capello been replaced full-time yet?

Edited by Risil, 10 November 2012 - 18:34.


#5 CatInTheBag

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 18:38



Many already saw it coming. It would be wise if he pursue a test role for a top team.

In hindsight, he made a mistake of signing only 1 year for Caterham. I think he overestimated his stocks a little bit. :cry:



#6 Vesuvius

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 18:39

Why should it be end of his career? He could be third driver to some team and he still have many years left on him.

#7 P123

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 18:46

Many already saw it coming. It would be wise if he pursue a test role for a top team.

In hindsight, he made a mistake of signing only 1 year for Caterham. I think he overestimated his stocks a little bit. :cry:


Or underestimated the number of seats that would go to pay-drivers.

Caterham haven't progressed at all. If they now need two pay drivers to survive then the future looks less bright for them than at any time before. Heikki is too good for them, as Glock is too good for Marussia.

#8 olliek88

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 18:51

Devastating news today from Finnish MTV3 sports news.

Force India will not have Heikki as their driver. Caterham will probably need 2 drivers who pay for their seat next season.
Is this the end of career for Heikki Kovalainen as a Formula 1 race driver?

I still remember when the curse was cast in Hungary 2008. "First of many" they said.
Bye bye then, Niceman. It was great to follow your racing. I hope you get that 12th place in next race though. That´s the last straw that I can see. You need a wrecking crew on track. Maybe Crashjean can arrange?


Its rumour, not news. Until its on Autosport or from a similarly concrete source(s) it is no more.

#9 DrProzac

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 18:58

I hope he will get a decent midfield seat, I think he deserves another shot in a more competitive team.

#10 Mendel

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 19:05

Why should it be end of his career? He could be third driver to some team and he still have many years left on him.


Well, I really hope that it´s not.

I just find it unlikely that he can rebound if he has to resort to third driver spot. I´m being a bit depressed and emotional about it. I really hope for best but it´s getting worse and worse. It´s been frustrating 3 years for a Kovy fan and it is starting to look a bit grim.

#11 2ms

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 19:09

I refuse to accept that F1 is that dominated by pay drivers already. It's supposed to be the best drivers in the world. I'm sure he will get a seat somewhere next year. For example Lotus. There's no doubt the teams recognize him as being in the top half of current drivers, and I refuse to accept that the majority of drivers in F1 are already 2nd rate/pay drivers.

#12 TudorMiron

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 19:23

I refuse to accept that F1 is that dominated by pay drivers already. It's supposed to be the best drivers in the world. I'm sure he will get a seat somewhere next year. For example Lotus. There's no doubt the teams recognize him as being in the top half of current drivers, and I refuse to accept that the majority of drivers in F1 are already 2nd rate/pay drivers.


It's time to grow up and accept that paydriver reality. Alonso is a pay driver (santander). Petrov called paydriver is outpacing Heiki on regular basis.



#13 jals99

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 19:24

Too early. Caterham did not make decision still.

#14 hotstickyslick

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 19:25

I refuse to accept that F1 is that dominated by pay drivers already. It's supposed to be the best drivers in the world. I'm sure he will get a seat somewhere next year. For example Lotus. There's no doubt the teams recognize him as being in the top half of current drivers, and I refuse to accept that the majority of drivers in F1 are already 2nd rate/pay drivers.

Yup, but that's just an illusion.

It's time to grow up and accept that paydriver reality. Alonso is a pay driver (santander). Petrov called paydriver is outpacing Heiki on regular basis.

Wat.

Edited by hotstickyslick, 10 November 2012 - 19:26.


#15 Mendel

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 19:26

I agree wholeheartedly! (with 2ms)

Heikki may not have set world in fire other than few sparkles here and there but I insist he belongs in the top 10 drivers list in the current roster of F1 drivers.
Proof? Look at his 2005 GP2 season. He´s definitely on par with Rosberg give or take a tenth.

He not only deserves a seat but he deserves a seat where he can constantly challenge for the finishing with points! To see him leave the circus by giving room to sponsored/sponsoring drivers would be wrong beyond belief.

Edited by Mendel, 10 November 2012 - 19:30.


#16 Mendel

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 19:31

Too early. Caterham did not make decision still.


Reading between the lines, it seems like Heikki lost his driver seat when Caterham lost their #10 team spot. They need that 7.5M from elsewhere then. From a pay driver.

Edited by Mendel, 10 November 2012 - 19:32.


#17 Anderis

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 19:36

Heikki is too good for them, as Glock is too good for Marussia.

Why both are struggling to dominate their team-mates then?

#18 CatInTheBag

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 19:52

Why both are struggling to dominate their team-mates then?


Hmmm...

#19 Francesc

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 20:21

Kovalainen reminds me Heidfeld, both having similar careers.

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#20 rijole1

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 20:48

I really hope not, the guy deserves an other chace in a better team

Edited by rijole1, 10 November 2012 - 20:49.


#21 fisssssi

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 20:58

Sad, but I'll get over it.

#22 sosidge

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 21:02

He had a drive in a top team, and he did nothing with it. F1 is not in the habit of handing out second chances.

#23 Red17

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 21:21

Is this even confirmed?

#24 byronbolscher

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 21:27

He had a drive in a top team, and he did nothing with it. F1 is not in the habit of handing out second chances.


Didn't Mclaren nearly always send Heikki out with a heavier car in qualifying? Which meant lower starting positions, and very hard at the time to make up places.

#25 Risil

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 21:29

Is this even confirmed?


Yeah, in 2010. ;)

#26 hotstickyslick

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 21:38

Didn't Mclaren nearly always send Heikki out with a heavier car in qualifying? Which meant lower starting positions, and very hard at the time to make up places.

His race pace was ass, so he couldn't use the extra laps of fuel to his advantage.

#27 Lone

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 21:54

Kovalainen definately belongs in the second tier of drivers behind Vettel, Alonso, Räikkonen and Hamilton. In his rookie year he beat and impressed against Fishicella who in actual fact is the most impressive driver Alonso ever beat. And Alonso is considered as the best driver in F1 and even an all time great.

I admit he was destroyed by Hamilton, where car development, strategy, fuel loads etc was in Hamiltons favour, but he atleast held his own in qualifying and in my opinion beat Hamilton, fuel corrected, who's considered as possibly the best current qualifier, along with Vettel.

Since joining Caterham he's clearly dominated his teammates comfortably, if not always in races but in qualifications, which is especially important in the current format.

What I like is to see him replace Grosjean in Lotus because I believe he would be a true match for Räikkonen. And this is in no way meant that Kimi is easy to beat since I consider Kimi beeing the best driver in F1 together with Alonso, but I believe he would be able to show how good he is in a team and with a driver who doesn't demand number 1 status and I belive he would surprise a lot of people.

With all these paydrivers instead of talent I believe F1 will eventually loose all their audience. We the fans want to see the best drivers in the most elite form of motorsport instead of the best sponsored drivers in the sport.

If Kovalainen is out of the sport next year due to a paydriver I believe this is the beginning of the end of F1 beeing the pinnacle of motirsports.

#28 Absulute

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 21:58

It's sad for Heikki but he won't be the last talented driver to find himself out of the formula.

Formula 1 isn't the only form of motor racing. He'll have lots of offers no doubt.

#29 olliek88

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 22:17

Kovalainen definately belongs in the second tier of drivers behind Vettel, Alonso, Räikkonen and Hamilton. In his rookie year he beat and impressed against Fishicella who in actual fact is the most impressive driver Alonso ever beat. And Alonso is considered as the best driver in F1 and even an all time great.


Two things, firstly Jarno Trulli says otherwise and secondly have you seen this ( http://forums.autosp...l=hill frentzen ) thread?

Edited by olliek88, 10 November 2012 - 22:18.


#30 MrMontecarlo

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 22:49

He had a drive in a top team, and he did nothing with it. F1 is not in the habit of handing out second chances.


This :up:
I don't get why we should be sad for this guy, he had a WDC winning car in 2008, something most drivers in this sport can only dream of.

#31 Lights

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 23:20

He seems like a nice chap but indeed, second chances are hardly ever given in F1, and it's not like he only got 1 year to prove himself, he got 3 but never really shined. Still far from the worst driver on the grid at the moment though, it would be weird to see him leave as I'd rather see others retire. Just imagine a driver like Heikki would've somehow lucked into Red Bull 5 years ago instead of Webber though, I wouldn't be surprised he'd have achieved the same.

#32 Doughnut King

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Posted 10 November 2012 - 23:48

I think it ended three years ago. Same for Timo Glock

These teams will never rise. Are they even building 2014 cars right now? Doubtful


Yeah, if Glock ever gets a good seat again I'll be very surprised. It's a shame that the last highlight of his F1 career will probably be 2nd in Singapore 2009, which was followed up by a season ending crash, which was then in turn compounded by Toyota pulling out.

#33 Starish

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 00:38

He seems like a nice chap but indeed, second chances are hardly ever given in F1, and it's not like he only got 1 year to prove himself, he got 3 but never really shined. Still far from the worst driver on the grid at the moment though, it would be weird to see him leave as I'd rather see others retire. Just imagine a driver like Heikki would've somehow lucked into Red Bull 5 years ago instead of Webber though, I wouldn't be surprised he'd have achieved the same.


Wait... wasn't it this very forum 6 months ago riding on Heikki's back, touting how amazing he was, how he pushes the Caterham and he deserves a top drive...? :)

#34 pingu666

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 00:42

thats f1 for you. i think the media may of gotten bored of caterham now too

#35 BillBald

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 01:01

Wait... wasn't it this very forum 6 months ago riding on Heikki's back, touting how amazing he was, how he pushes the Caterham and he deserves a top drive...? :)


In my experience, there is often more than one opinion expressed in this forum, so how can you say that 'this very forum' was 'touting how amazing he was'?

If you can single out any individual who has changed his opinion, then it's reasonable to ask why...

But the forum can't change it's opinion, it doesn't have one.





#36 OSX

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 01:36

He had a drive in a top team, and he did nothing with it. F1 is not in the habit of handing out second chances.

Heikki is a very nice guy and all but I completely agree. Heikki did good in lower series but in my opinion the high pressure environment of F1 clearly hasn't suited him. At Caterham Heikki has been Fernandez' favorite without any proper competition. The lower pressure environment of the team suited him, it boosted his confidence and eventually he got greedier and got himself a manager to negotiate a better deal for him. Nothing wrong with that but it has backfired on him. Heikki could have easily stayed at Caterham and made the deal long ago already had he been content with a lesser pay.

#37 KavB

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 02:05

I don't see why he would want to stay in F1 if he can only get a seat at Caterham. They have nothing to show in their three years in the sport. Losing that 10th place is a huge blow. Getting a 12th or so place requires more luck than driver skill which is why Caterham may opt for a pay driver.

They need a driver like Heikki to score that point when it's finally their chance to capitalise. Caterham would be shooting themselves in the foot of they went with a pay driver.

#38 Red17

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 02:23

Wait... wasn't it this very forum 6 months ago riding on Heikki's back, touting how amazing he was, how he pushes the Caterham and he deserves a top drive...? :)

Nope. It was a voting of team principals at the end of last season, the forum just followed that cue.

#39 William Hunt

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 03:12

Kovalainen reminds me Heidfeld, both having similar careers.


Not really: Heidfeld had 12 season in F1, Kovalainen 6 so far, that's half the length of Heidfeld. I also rate Nick as the better driver between the two.

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#40 Kelateboy

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 04:12

Reading between the lines, it seems like Heikki lost his driver seat when Caterham lost their #10 team spot. They need that 7.5M from elsewhere then. From a pay driver.

Not a done deal yet with 2 races remaining.
Glock's drive in Singapore must have earned him his seat for 2013....

#41 TT6

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 10:06

He's probably better than most of the candidates that seem to be getting his job. I doubt the ones ending into Sauber or Force India are better than him either.

There's a few problems with Heikkis's career, thou. First of all he doesn't have money or sponsors so the pay driver scene is out of question. And the top teams rather have someone with potential - read "hope, however weak hope" - to be a very top driver instead of a very good driver that is exposed to be just below the absolute best ones.

By beating Fisi who was unbeatable before that Heikki showed a strong promise of being a future star. His time with McLaren destroyed the hope althou his effeorts weren't hopeless there. Qualifying tactics back then combined with the fact he was competing with a great driver with a team in his hands finished his career. Caterham career was beating a dead horse basically.

What comes to some saying Petrov is beating him ... Ridiculous. Look at quali stats. Their race speed is so poor you can't make any conclusions based on that.

#42 Shiroo

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 10:17

Yes it is an end for him. It is msotly to his age (he isnt the youngest), and also the fact that he won't go to lesser serioes i Assume (at his age going to GP2 after F1 is just odd). So it is the end. Teams prefer to check out new young drivers maybe one of them will be new hamilton.

#43 MortenF1

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 10:40

What comes to some saying Petrov is beating him ... Ridiculous. Look at quali stats. Their race speed is so poor you can't make any conclusions based on that.



Oh, so we can only compare race-pace if the drivers have quick, front-running cars? That's ridiculous!

Petrov has been a match or even a notch better than Kovalainen this year, so when he's at that level AND brings money, he's a better deal (than Kovalainen.)

Edited by race addicted, 11 November 2012 - 10:41.


#44 jals99

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 10:43

What comes to some saying Petrov is beating him ... Ridiculous. Look at quali stats. Their race speed is so poor you can't make any conclusions based on that.

So lets withdraw Caterham, Marussia and HRT after each qualifying if we can't judge them in races. Their quali pace is also poor. If we can't judge them by race, we can't judge them by quali as well. The truth is Vitaly is often beating Heikki in races, leading with overall score 8-7, and thats impressive, considering he joined team after first tests, did not have 2 years with them, and had to change engineer to unexperienced young guy in the course of the season. With this circuimstances even Heikki's leading in quals 13-5 does not change the whole picture - Kovalainen is not looking better then Petrov this year,and does not deserve his place in F1 more than Vitaly.

Edited by jals99, 11 November 2012 - 10:46.


#45 krapmeister

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 10:57

Kovalainen looked better when he had Trulli as a teammate...

#46 2ms

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 11:14

Kovalainen beat Trulli and Fisichella, both of whom did perfectly well against Alonso, who is one of the top drivers in F1. All 4 have won races in F1, which is something the majority of drivers in F1 have never and will never do. His problem is obviously that he comes from a low-population country/small market, so he cannot be a pay-driver.

#47 olliek88

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 11:22

Oh, so we can only compare race-pace if the drivers have quick, front-running cars? That's ridiculous!

Petrov has been a match or even a notch better than Kovalainen this year, so when he's at that level AND brings money, he's a better deal (than Kovalainen.)


13-5 to Heikki in qualy although it is 8-7 to Petrov in the races but when your regularly getting blue flagged and lapped the race performances of the back markers can so easily be distorted. Credit where credits due though, Petrov has done a much better job this year than i thought but Heikki is the quicker driver and when (if) Caterham get to the midfield the .250s that Heikki beats Vitaly by on average in qualy will be an awful lot more noticeable, both in qualy position and in race position.

I feel for Heikki, if it does come down to money than thats one less driver who is in F1 purely on merit.

#48 Ferrari_F1_fan_2001

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 11:42

He always struck me as a Fisichella type of guy.

#49 Vesuvius

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 11:44

So lets withdraw Caterham, Marussia and HRT after each qualifying if we can't judge them in races. Their quali pace is also poor. If we can't judge them by race, we can't judge them by quali as well. The truth is Vitaly is often beating Heikki in races, leading with overall score 8-7, and thats impressive, considering he joined team after first tests, did not have 2 years with them, and had to change engineer to unexperienced young guy in the course of the season. With this circuimstances even Heikki's leading in quals 13-5 does not change the whole picture - Kovalainen is not looking better then Petrov this year,and does not deserve his place in F1 more than Vitaly.



at my calculations Heikki is leading race battles as well 8-7 not Vitaly... qualies are 13-5 for Heikki and like have been said on this forum already if Caterham would be midfield team, Heikki's magnificent qualifying performances would matter much more and he would be clearly ahead of the Vitaly in races as he would start several places ahead of him.

#50 sesku

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Posted 11 November 2012 - 11:51

Is this gonna be another Heikki VS Petrov thread?

Edited by sesku, 11 November 2012 - 11:59.