F1 Ladies

Finnish racing driver Heikki Kovalainen looks certain to accompany Giancarlo Fisichella of Italy as a Renault driver around the Formula One circuits next year. Renault boss Flavio Briatore confirmed this indirectly in an interview published on Saturday in the Italian sports daily Gazetta Dello Sport.
"Even if I do not get Kimi Räikkönen, we're still standing strong", Briatore declared.
"We have a young driver, with over 20,000 test kilometres in an F1 cockpit, who has proved he can be a serious contestant on the track."

The previous day it still looked possible that Australian Mark Webber might land a Renault seat before Kovalainen. Briatore's words have now clipped the wings from this rumour. "Webber is not available", Briatore stated.
"I am not at liberty to discuss where Webber is heading. Maybe someone else will shed light on this on Monday", he added.
Kovalainen himself still refuses to confirm that he will drive for Renault next year. When asked about it, the 24-year-old Finn just smiled enigmatically and stated: "I have not signed anything yet, but I am convinced I will race next year. The confirmation will follow in due course."

The fact that Kovalainen is slated to drive for Renault next year also tends to confirm the strong paddock rumours that Kimi Räikkönen will move from McLaren to Ferrari.
According to a Helsingin Sanomat source, Briatore has given up on Räikkönen after learning that the Finn will sit behind a Ferrari wheel next year.
From the Finnish point of view, next year's Formula One season will be particularly interesting, given the fact that the two top teams from this year could well both have a Finnish driver.

:)

The 25-year-old was runner-up in last year’s GP2 championship behind Nico Rosberg and has accumulated extensive mileage in his time as Renault’s test driver.

Nonetheless the decision will be regarded as something of a gamble as Kovalainen has yet to make a Formula 1 start.

“I am thrilled to get the opportunity to race with a world champion team like Renault,” said Kovalainen.

“I have been a member of the Renault Driver Development programme since 2002, when I had the distant ambition of one day becoming an F1 driver.

“It is a fantastic feeling to have finally achieved that.

“My two seasons testing for the team, as well as my time in GP2, have allowed me to build my technical knowledge and to understand what it takes to win in Formula 1.

“I have also had the opportunity to show the team what I can do, and it is a great motivation to know that they believe in me.

“It will be a fantastic feeling to line up on the grid in Melbourne, but that is still a long way off.

“At the moment, I am totally focused on helping Renault win the 2006 championship.”

The news brings an end to speculation that Renault might succeed in luring Kimi Raikkonen away from Ferrari.

Selbst wenn Kimi jetzt doch zu Ferrari gehen sollte, werde ich ihn weiterhin unterstützen! Ich bin doch nicht Fan vom Team sondern vom Fahrer! Obwohl ich Ferrari und deren Einstellung zu gewissen Dingen nicht mag, ändert das doch nichts an Kimi. Natürlich wäre mir auch lieber er würde bei Mercedes bleiben, aber ich glaube das es wohl nicht so kommen wird..

Neither do I!That's why I realy hope Kimi will stay at Mclaren!

Yeah! That would be great but its like 50-50