- Lotus
Kovalainen drafted in to replace Raikkonen at Lotus
Lotus has confirmed Heikki Kovalainen will stand in as Kimi Raikkonen's replacement at the final two races of the season, saying he offered the "experience" the team needs in its battle for third place in the constructors' championship.
Raikkonen is undergoing back surgery in Salzburg this week in order to ensure he is fully fit for his move to Ferrari next year. The Finn only made his plans public at the weekend, giving Lotus less than a week to secure a replacement for the US and Brazilian Grands Prix.
Kovalainen, who has six years of experience in F1 between 2008 and 2012, was chosen over Lotus reserve driver Davide Valsecchi as the team did not feel the Italian had the experience to deliver the results it needs to challenge Ferrari in the constructors' standings.
"Obviously we had to move quickly following the news of Kimi's non-participation in the final two races of this season, and we found ourselves facing a difficult decision in terms of who should take the wheel in Austin and São Paulo," team principal Eric Boullier said. "On the one hand we had our reserve driver Davide Valsecchi - who is a talented young driver that has shown a great deal of promise - and on the other we had the opportunity to bring in a seasoned Formula One competitor in Heikki.
"Whilst we have every faith in Davide's abilities, we are obviously involved in a tight Constructors' Championship battle, so it was decided that the experience Heikki could bring to the team would be invaluable as we aim to finish the year in the best position possible."
In order to secure the drive, Lotus and Kovalainen had to negotiate a quick release from the Finn's current Caterham contract, which has seen him take part in six of this year's Friday morning practice sessions.
"We must thank Tony Fernandes and Caterham F1 Team for their professional conduct in allowing Heikki to join us for the final races of this season," Boullier added.
Kovalainen made his debut with the Lotus team when it was under Renault ownership in 2007 and is hoping that will put him in good stead when he races over the next two weekends.
"It is a fantastic opportunity for me to join Lotus F1 Team for the final two races of 2013. We've seen this year that the E21 is a car which can win races and finish on the podium, so I will be pushing hard for the best results possible.
"Jumping into a car so late in the year when you have not been competing in the races all season will be a challenge, but I know the team at Enstone well so I have no concerns about getting up to speed. This is a great opportunity for me, so I would like to thank Tony Fernandes and Caterham F1 Team for allowing me to take advantage of it."
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