Heikki Kovalainen coveted by Pirelli… and Caterham
While Paul Hembery, Pirelli's motorsport director, targets Heikki Kovalainen as a potential development driver, Cyril Abiteboul, director of the Caterham team, does not rule out the possibility that the Finn could play a role, other than that of a main driver, within the Malaysian team.
Without a seat for the 2013 season after three years at the back of the grid with Caterham, Heikki Kovalainen remains a driver whose talent is appreciated and sought after, particularly from Pirelli’s side, where Paul Hembery, the competition director at the Milanese tire manufacturer, does not hide his interest in the Finn: “When everything is resolved [regarding the possible extension of the tire supply contract beyond 2013], we will see what the situation is with our test drivers,” the Briton tells the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat. “Heikki would be an excellent candidate. He is a very experienced driver. I really believe he is one of the strongest candidates to join us.”
However, the native of Suomussalmi, who has still not indicated what his plans for 2013 will be, could ultimately stay with Caterham. Indeed, while explaining in an interview with Sky Sports the reasons that led Caterham not to renew the Finnish driver’s contract, Cyril Abiteboul, director of the Malaysian team, still leaves the door slightly open for the former McLaren driver: « Heikki is not one of our race drivers [but] we continue to have discussions with him to see if a different project is possible. »
From then on, Heikki Kovalainen could take on the role of advisor to Charles Pic and Giedo van der Garde, similar to what was set up at Williams in early 2012 with Alexander Wurz. The Finn could also contribute to the development of the simulator in which Caterham has recently invested… provided he wishes to remain involved with the team led by Tony Fernandes.
Indeed, it remains to be seen whether he will view Pirelli or Caterham as a genuine opportunity to bounce back in 2014 or if he will prefer, like Timo Glock, to open a new chapter in his career. Last November, the Finn mentioned a possible switch to rallying, following in the footsteps of Kimi Räikkönen before him: « There isn’t much outside of F1 that interests me, but rallying is one of those things. Sometimes I tell myself it’s a bit surprising that I didn’t become a rally driver earlier in my life. I had many opportunities while growing up driving on forest roads like most kids in Finland, but then I discovered circuit racing. We’ll see what happens; there is life outside of Formula 1, » stated the one who refused to pay to race in Formula 1.
