Aiming to keep the momentum - Kovalainen

The ING Renault F1 Team previews round seven of the 2007 Formula 1 World Championship, the US Grand Prix at Indianapolis Speedway. After finishing the Canadian GP in 4th place, Heikki Kovalainen hopes for another good result at 'Indy'.

"I have to say that the way things turned around after two difficult days was pretty amazing. We finished so close to the podium after a tough weekend, and I think we can be satisfied because it wasn’t just down to luck: we had the right strategy, I drove well and the car was quick… That was a good boost coming into this race, and I will be aiming to keep the momentum. "

"Well, the first one was a repeat of what I saw in Melbourne: it is crucial not to lose track time over the weekend. When I went into qualifying, I had no feeling for the performance on the soft tyre, for example. So clearly I need to do the sessions to find a good balance with the car, and build my confidence through the weekend. But the other lesson was about the attitude you need. I had a tough weekend, but I stayed positive and kept on working hard. The team worked for me too, supported me all the way, and I did the best for them on Sunday. That’s what you have to keep on doing if you want to be successful: stay confident, and stay positive."

"It’s a mythical circuit, that everybody in motor racing has heard of. It’s a spectacular sight when you go through the tunnel for the first time, and find yourself in the infield. The oval is huge, and makes the F1 circuit look very small alongside! I think it is an interesting circuit for us to race on though. The section on the oval is very high speed, while the infield offers some interesting combinations of corners. I am looking forward to discovering what it feels like from the cockpit."

"The straight is very long, and it includes the banked section because we stay flat out all the way through, so you need a good top speed – which means relatively low downforce. On the other hand, you have to get the best mechanical and aerodynamic grip for the infield. That makes it hard to find a good balance because you need opposing characteristics from the car. The car needs to work well on both halves of the track though, and that is what we will be concentrating on during Friday practice."

"I think I have some good momentum from the race in Canada, and my target will be to build on that this weekend. I believe we have a top ten car now, so I need to make sure I get the most out of it in qualifying. Once you make it through to the third part of qualifying, then it opens up many more opportunities in terms of strategy for the race. I am learning all the time about how to improve my performance, and Canada was another good lesson for me. I was aggressive, and didn’t make any mistakes. That will be the first target in Indy and if I do that, then I am confident that the results will start to come."