Kovalainen Will Race for Renault in 2007-Briatore to Stay 2 More Years
Quote selected text Published September 6th, 2006 in MainFinland’s Heikki Kovalainen will race for Renault in 2007 while Flavio Briatore has signed up as team boss for two more years, the Formula One champions announced today.
The 24-year-old Kovalainen will partner Italian Giancarlo Fisichella after the departure of Spain’s world champion Fernando Alonso to McLaren.
Renault said Briatore, who has been at the helm since 2000, signed up for 2007 and 2008 despite speculation he might quit.
Brazilians Ricardo Zonta and Nelson Piquet junior will be the test drivers.
Zonta joins from Toyota, where he was a test driver, and the 30-year-old has considerable experience of the Bridgestone tyres that Renault will be using next year after Michelin’s withdrawal.
Piquet, 21, is challenging for the title in the Renault-powered GP2 feeder series. His father and namesake was world champion in 1981, 1983 and 1987.
Renault’s announcement ends talk of Kimi Raikkonen joining from McLaren as Alonso’s replacement and makes it all the more likely the Finn will be named as a Ferrari driver after Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix.
Renault said Briatore, 56, had also confirmed the continuity of the technical staff, with key members such as engineering head Pat Symonds and technical directors Bob Bell and Rob White staying on.
Bookmark to:
- Webber Fuels Briatore Speculation
- Report: Raikkonen to Ferrari-Kovalainen to sign Race Deal with Renault
- Renault/Briatore Still Deciding on Coveted Renault F1 Seat
- Briatore Has Cancer Operation
- Kovalainen vows to help Renault forget Alonso
In our view this would almost certainly indicate that Schumacher will indeed be retiring.
We can’t see Schumacher teaming with Raikkonen.