• Canadian Grand Prix - FP1

Kovalainen shrugs off FP1 crash

Heikki Kovalainen only completed 16 laps before hitting the wall © Sutton Images

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• Race:
• Canadian Grand Prix

• Drivers:
• Heikki Kovalainen

• Teams:
• Caterham

Heikki Kovalainen has shrugged off his crash in first practice, saying that it was "bound to happen one day" as he pushes hard in every session.

Mid-way through FP1, Kovalainen hit the wall on the exit of turn nine, heavily damaging the right hand side of the car and causing a red flag delay of around 15 minutes. Despite seeing the right rear tyre ripped off the rim and the front right suspension broken, Kovalainen told Sky Sports News that the crash was not as bad as it looked.

"It looked more dramatic than it was," Kovalainen said. "It was just coming out of that chicane and I just lost it a little bit on the exit and the rear tyre clipped the wall and bounced the front of the car in to the wall. As it happened it just took both corners off the car. It's not too bad I hope."

Kovalainen added that he expects Caterham to be able to repair the car in time for the second session, although admitted he might have to do some running in the forecast rain as a result.

"We've got good mechanics and they can fix the car in no time. And that's what they're here for; I'm here to push and they're here to fix the car if I make a mistake! So today there's some good use of the guys, and it can happen sometimes. I'm pushing all the time at 110% and I haven't fallen off for a long time so it's bound to happen one day. It happened today, it's no big deal. We'll fix the car and hopefully we'll get out in the second session and get some running perhaps in the wet conditions."

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