Formula One news

Kovalainen relishes first F1 taste of Spa

Heikki Kovalainen was in action for Renault yesterday, driving at the Belgian circuit for the first time in an F1 car. The Finn enjoyed a dry morning, during which he was able to complete a set-up programme, allowing him to find a stable handling balance with the car. It then began raining, disrupting the planned programme. The team made the most of the conditions to fine-tune the car's handling in the wet, which was all the more important because rain is often a factor at the Belgian race.

"I raced at this track in GP2 a couple of years ago, but the first time in an F1 car is always a bit different, no matter which circuit it is," said Kovalainen. "The car balance was good straight away, and I think we have a good baseline to work from at the GP weekend. We then tried to get the most out of the changing track conditions by working on tuning the set-up for the wet conditions, particularly focusing on the control systems. That was a good programme, and we found some interesting things. In spite of the changeable weather, I think we got the most out of the day, and the results were encouraging."

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