Formula One news

Kovalainen annoyed with points loss

Heikki Kovalainen was frustrated to have thrown away a potential three points after crashing out of the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday. Having suffered from a frustrating start to the season with an underperforming car, the Finn's race came to an end in Monte-Carlo at the Swimming Pool Complex.

With Kimi Räikkönen in third position, Finland's Kovalainen looked to be scoring a double points finish for his country before spinning the McLaren into the Armco barriers in the final third of the race. "I just lost the car at the high-speed chicane," he admitted to the BBC, "just lost the rear end and I couldn't catch it. That was it."

Kovalainen ran in the points until his race-ending shunt on Lap 53

Collecting the inside barrier of Turn 15, Heikki's accident was reminiscent of Felipe Massa's on Saturday and, after Rosberg retired there in 2008, was the second in as many years at that section of track. "I was following Nico quite comfortably and I believe I would have being going a couple of laps longer, that was our estimation," Kovalainen continued. "There was a good chance to be able to jump him at the pit-stop, that was the plan."

Despite damaging the McLaren-Mercedes, Heikki escaped unscathed but was frustrated to have thrown away a points finish on what was expected to be an improved weekend for the eventually pointless team. "It is impossible to overtake on the track so I was just trying to follow him very closely to then try and attack once he pitted," he added.

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