• Jerez Test

Lotus has 'potential' - Kovalainen

Heikki Kovalainen had a tough first day of testing in the Lotus T127 © Sutton Images

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Heikki Kovalainen thinks the new Lotus has potential despite ending his first day of testing in the gravel trap.

He completed 30 laps before the accident, which knocked off his front wing and forced the team to stop running due to a lack of spare parts, much less than test driver Fairuz Fauzy achieved on the first day of testing on Wednesday. However, Kovalainen was not perturbed, and despite admitting to a lack of overall downforce, said the T127 had plenty of promise.

"I think the potential is there, the initial feeling from this morning was good," Kovalainen said. "In the slow-speed corners the car is behaving quite well, but it's lacking grip - it hasn't got enough grip - so in the high-speed [corners] we lose quite a bit of time, probably also partly because of the set-up problems as well. But fundamentally it is okay and I quite enjoyed driving it."

Having raced for McLaren since 2008, Kovalainen has lots of experience in race-winning machinery and is accustomed to using Mercedes engines - widely considered to be the best on the grid.

When asked to compare the Cosworth V8 in the back of the Lotus to the Mercedes powerplant he said: "In terms of pure power it's not too far away, it's probably not quite as good, but overall the feeling is quite positive. And the driveability felt very competitive as well compared to the Mercedes. The power is in slightly different areas, but I feel at the moment it is one of the stronger parts of the car."

Kovalainen continued to test the car on Friday after a new front wing was delivered to the team overnight.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.