Formula One news

Alonso expects McLaren to stick with Kovalainen

According to former McLaren driver Fernando Alonso the team will probably keep its driver Heikki Kovalainen for years if the Finn is willing to play second driver alongside Lewis Hamilton. Kovalainen joined the team at the start of this season and the team confirmed he will race for McLaren for another season in 2009.

Renault F1 driver Fernando Alonso told Spanish TV station Telecinco: "McLaren will most definitely keep Kovalainen if he continues to work for the team the way he has been doing."

Alonso believes Kovalainen is clearly playing the role of second driver at McLaren. "Everyone saw that he (Kovalainen) had to let his team mate get past him at Hockenheim. I even can't think of a race this season where he had a better race strategy than Lewis (Hamilton)," Alonso said. "I would never want to play such a role. I would rather finish fifth or sixth with a Renault than fourth or fifth with McLaren."

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