Formula One news

Kovalainen backs Renault's 2008 plan

Heikki Kovalainen has given his public backing to Renault's decision to turn its main focus towards next season's car and not push the 2007 car's development as hard as it may have otherwise done.

"I think it's a decision made by the team and it's also the right one," Kovalainen said. "I think it's time to focus on next year, now we've sorted out some of the problems with this year's car and also the problems that we've had with the wind tunnel earlier this year and even at the end of last year. Now that all that is correlating well and we are getting the right results from the wind tunnel, I think it's time to shift the focus on 2008. But still the race team is focusing hard for this car and myself, obviously, I will drive as fast as I can until the end of the year."

Kovalainen went on to say that he hopes to be part of that 2008 Renault team, though nothing has been signed yet.

"Well, I certainly hope I can be with the team," added the Finn. "I think together we can achieve a good result in the future, but like Flavio said, he hasn't made a decision yet and it will be made around Monza weekend - before or after or sometime around that time when he makes his mind up. At the moment honestly, I don't know. Like I say, I hope I stay with Renault."

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