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[Fact Man]

Kovalainen brings 'harmony' to McLaren
Tue 22 Jul, 12:53 PM

Retired double World Champion Mika Hakkinen has backed his countryman amid claims Heikki Kovalainen might lose the McLaren race seat at the end of the season.

While teammate Lewis Hamilton races into the lead of the drivers' world championship, 26-year-old Kovalainen, a Finn, has dropped 30 points behind and is notably struggling to match the race pace of the sister car.

But after Kovalainen charitably moved over for his teammate at Hockenheim last weekend, Hakkinen - the last driver to secure a title for McLaren - praised the "great harmony" that has descended on the team since its latest race lineup was brought together in 2008.

"He has been working really well with the engineers and with Lewis, and the harmony is now great, and that's a very important point," Hakkinen told PA Sport.
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/22072008/ ... laren.html

Does he really bring "Harmony". Or is it "Obediance"?

[McLaren Fan]

Both. Kovalainen and Hamilton genuinely get on well together, so there is harmony in the team because of that. At the minute, Kovalainen is struggling to get on the podium, never mind win races and championships, so should now play the team game and have another go at winning the championship then. Personally, I think he will be at McLaren next season. For a start, Kovalainen is a slow starter and needs to get settled in his new environments. For example, it took him half the season to get going at Renault last year, and, when he did, he made Fisichella look a fool. Kovalainen's qualifying speed is brilliant. In fact, when you take into account fuel on board the cars, he's probably out-qualified Hamilton more times than Hamilton has out-qualified him. He just needs to get things together in the race. He has frustrated me a lot this season, but I can still that he has potential, so deserves another year to show McLaren what he can do.

[racechick]

Both. Kovalainen and Hamilton genuinely get on well together, so there is harmony in the team because of that. At the minute, Kovalainen is struggling to get on the podium, never mind win races and championships, so should now play the team game and have another go at winning the championship then. Personally, I think he will be at McLaren next season. For a start, Kovalainen is a slow starter and needs to get settled in his new environments. For example, it took him half the season to get going at Renault last year, and, when he did, he made Fisichella look a fool. Kovalainen's qualifying speed is brilliant. In fact, when you take into account fuel on board the cars, he's probably out-qualified Hamilton more times than Hamilton has out-qualified him. He just needs to get things together in the race. He has frustrated me a lot this season, but I can still that he has potential, so deserves another year to show McLaren what he can do.

Yes id agree with that

[McLaren Fan]

From Planet F1:

Hakkinen: Lewis has calmed down
Tuesday 22nd July 2008

Mika Hakkinen believes Lewis Hamilton is on the road to delivering a more harmonious McLaren their first World Title for nine years.

It was in 1999 Hakkinen won the last of McLaren's Formula One Drivers' Championships before Ferrari and Michael Schumacher began to dominate.

Although Hakkinen retired two years later, he has remained close to the team, and occasionally still attends races as their guest.

The Finn was on hand on Sunday to congratulate Hamilton following his latest glorious triumph at the German Grand Prix, giving the 23-year-old a big bear hug as he entered the McLaren brand centre.

The two men have also built up a relationship of late as they are ambassadors for Johnnie Walker's 'Responsible Drinking' campaign, and regularly attend promotional functions together.

Compared to last year when McLaren were riddled with problems on and off track given the spy scandal and discord between Hamilton and team-mate Fernando Alonso, as an outsider looking in, Hakkinen can see the difference following Alonso's departure and Heikki Kovalainen's appointment.

"What Ron Dennis and Norbert Haug have done is brought together two fantastically talented young drivers," Hakkinen said.

"They are fast, they motivate the whole team, and they are getting better, stronger, more solid, more stable - they deliver the whole package.

"I can see right now McLaren Mercedes is a solid team, positive in terms of spirit both behind the scenes and on the track.

"I can sense that just by being around the teams these days."

With Hamilton now four points ahead in the drivers' standings after back-to-back victories in Britain and Germany, Hakkinen senses the team's long wait for a title could soon be over.

Asked about Hamilton's chances, Hakkinen replied: "It is easy to answer because I can relate what is happening now to Lewis to when I was racing.

"When I was a young guy at McLaren I was flat out, always at the maximum.

"Sometimes the excitement took over my thinking and there were times when I went over the top, I made mistakes.

"It took time for me to stabilise myself and calm down a little, and then I got the results.

"That is now the situation with Lewis. He has calmed down and is stable, more mature.

"There is still a way to go this year and a lot of things can still happen, and yes it is a long time since I won McLaren's last title, but I am hopeful this year they can do it.

"They just have to keep working, thinking positively."

Hamilton had team-mate Kovalainen to thank for the victory as the Finn let him through following a second pit stop, which saw him drop from the lead to fifth.

Kovalainen's kind gesture, also acknowledged by Dennis and F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh, gave Hamilton the opportunity to hunt down and pass Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Nelson Piquet in his Renault to claim the win.

And Hakkinen feels Kovalainen has brought more than just generosity to McLaren, claiming he has helped transform them overall.

"Heikki has brought great harmony to the team," insisted Hakkinen.

"He has been working really well with the engineers and with Lewis, and the harmony is now great, and that's a very important point."

Here are some other parts of the interview, which puts a very different light on the 'harmony' remarks than what the biased, Eurosport-Yahoo sit does.

[digitaleye]

I think Heikki's seat at McLaren is secure as long as he is obedient and doesn't interfere with Lewis. It may not be what we want to see but Heikki is clearly Rubens here to Lewis' Michael. It appears thats the way Ron wants it and its not too different from when it was Mika and DC.

[McLaren Fan]

I think Heikki's seat at McLaren is secure as long as he is obedient and doesn't interfere with Lewis. It may not be what we want to see but Heikki is clearly Rubens here to Lewis' Michael. It appears thats the way Ron wants it and its not too different from when it was Mika and DC.

[stonemonkey]

So Ron isn't after the constructors trophy?

[Hanwombat]

Ah Mika

[al4x]

heikki does have a calming face lol, you couldnt get cross with him lol

[texasmr2]

Yah I like Mika alot and it's nice to see him backing Kovi .

[Hanwombat]

Yah I like Mika alot and it's nice to see him backing Kovi .

When I saw him on the grid at Hockenheim, I was like MIKKAAAAAAAAAA



I do love my finns

[stonemonkey]

[Hanwombat]

[McLaren Fan]

Ah Mika

I loved Hakkinen, but not in your sort of way.

[racechick]

heikki does have a calming face lol, you couldnt get cross with him lol

He's a real sweetie!!!