Completely ready to go to the next level - Kovalainen

Heikki Kovalainen, the Finnish ING Renault F1 Team driver, will make his Grand Prix debut this weekend during the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne. Kovalainen talks about his preparations and his first race.

"I think I started preparing over a year ago, when I joined the ING Renault F1 Team as third driver! I was able to learn my job in the best conditions, get to know the team, and visit the factories. It was a long apprenticeship, but now I feel completely ready to go to the next level. I can't wait to get to Melbourne!"

"I am expecting a tough race. I am preparing for every possibility, and I know that I will have to push right to the limit. With the team, we will have to find the perfect set-up for the R27 to get maximum potential out of the car. From a personal point of view, I want to get to the finish without any problems and finish in the points. I think that would be a good start."

"The new timetable on Friday is a definite positive, particularly for a rookie driver like me who doesn't know the circuit. I think we will have plenty of time to find the right set-up, and from a driving point of view, I will have enough time to learn the circuit and feel comfortable. It will mean I can approach qualifying with no worries. That's a big advantage for me."

"From what I know, it is a track that's often very dirty and slippery in the opening sessions on Friday, because it is a street circuit. People are driving on the roads every day, so you have to be careful because the track can be very green. The track changes all the way through the weekend, so you have to know how to adapt, and adjust the car set-up for this characteristics. The team has a lot of experience here, with good set-ups from the last two seasons, and I am confident that will mean we can approach the race in the best possible way."