Renault's test driver Heikki Kovalainen is going to race for Renault in 2007 alongside Giancarlo Fisichella, the news being confirmed just this morning.

That means Renault will stop trying to lure Kimi Raikkonen into their clutches and Kimi might go to Ferrari.

Is this a surprise to you guys, putting somebody who has never raced in F1 into a championship winning team, although he has two years of testing under his belt though.

He came second in the GP2 title in 2005, but will now race for Renault!

To be honest, I think Alonso should have stayed at Renault because Heikki and Fisi might steal the limelight.

What do you guys think?

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=37215


Also, Flavio Briatore has been confirmed as Team Manager for a further two years:

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=37216


Ricardo Zonta and Nelson Piquet Jr, Hamilton's main rval in the GP2 series, are Renault's test drivers for next season.

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=37217

^^ Good for him, it will be good too see a new driver in a top team for once...

It is, hopefully Hamilton will get introduced to McLaren around mid season next year, then we have rival rookies battling it out in the cream of the field.

Good to hear, But can he make no.1? Not this season

I reckon in 2007 Kovalainen's top finish will be third, because I don't think he has the experience to win in F1, but he has the talent to do so in future years, Finns have proved that they can succeed in F1 and I don't think Heikki will be any different.

I reckon he could win in around 2008 if he's fully focussed on the job in hand and if Renault (or whatever team he is at) can give him the car that he needs to win.

that's good , Kovalainen is a really good driver , Finland "produce" great drivers , i guess he will be fine , he has a strong car that can compete in the front , and he has the talent , of course it is a new world for him , but we will give him some time , and i guess he will be a good competitor...

Lol, we posted at the same time and have basically the exact same posts as eachother:)

lol .....great minds think the same:p ...

I couldn't have put it better myself:)

It is, hopefully Hamilton will get introduced to McLaren around mid season next year, then we have rival rookies battling it out in the cream of the field.


If Hamilton gets a McLaren drive I will be more suprised then I was about this news. Kovalainen is far more experienced in F1 than Hamilton and therefore deserves a shot at it. If anything Hamilton should start off as a test driver to get a feel for a F1 car, then be introduced into a race seat.

I reckon he should test all winter for McLaren and test half way through the season, and the join, yes Kovalainen has F1 talent but Hamilton's too good an oppurtunity to pass up.

Making him race with a back-of-the-grid team won't do him justice, the car wouldn't be fast enough and it would keep breaking down all the time and Hamilton would get frustrated, which we all don't want to happen.

C'mon Ronster, whayda think?;)

^ woah, woah, woah. From the tone of your first post you seemed to be suggesting that it was wrong to put a driver who has had a year of testing in an F1 seat but it is a good idea to put a driver who was abosutely no F1 experience in a race seat?

IMO it would be a better idea to put him in a testing seat for a year, look what happened to the last Brit who came in too early (Button). Yes he may have won now but it took a long time and many motor sport journalists have critised his quick entry.

It'll be better for Hamilton in the long run to take his progression slowly.

^^ I guess, but if you get that chance, which Button did, who wouldn't take it :s

That means Renault will stop trying to lure Kimi Raikkonen into their clutches and Kimi might go to Ferrari.
:(

I hope to see McLaren and Renault on the top next season .
I don't like Schumi . I got the feel , don't know why .

lets just hope ferrari's 3 mystery drivers are luca badoer, felipe massa, and a janitor... no raikkonen involved... please!!!! i just cant imagine him wearing scarlet overalls!

i want to see Button and Raikonnen in the front next season ...... they "deserve" it . (in every thread related to F1 i say that lol !)

Yeah, they really do deserve everything that's coming to him, Button and Raikkonen have worked their asses of over their careers and Button's been painfully unlucky, what with car reliability, pressure from Team Bosses, suspensions, whatever.

Raikkonen's won races, but his car has let him down for him to win World Championships. He should have won it in 2003 and he should have won it in 2005, to be honest, but the mcLaren's achilles heel always catches him out and it's just not fair on anyone else.

So yes, BMW speed, they do deserve to be frontrunners and all the success that they get in the future is well deserved.

Great stuff, he deserves a seat and hopefully he performs up to expectations, I think given the chance he is a good replacement at the team for Alonso.

He will be a good replacement, but I bet Flav will be a little peeved that he's left for McLaren, I certainly would be if a World Champion left the team for a rival team, but I'm sure Heikki can do a fantastic job with what he's got right now.

great news to hear....I love to hear that young talent still has chances to race for fantastic teams...

I pray for schumacher and raikonnen on ferrari