Kovalainen ‘back on track’ since joining Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
Heikki Kovalainen has been built into a World Championship challenging driver after enduring a torrid season last year.
According to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team principal, Ron Dennis, the Finnish driver has a new found confidence that will allow him to challenge for the title.
"Heikki is a guy who was systematically taken apart last year and we have systematically put him back together again," the McLaren boss told the Daily Telegraph.
"Give him three more races and he will be giving Lewis a real hard time," he predicted.
But Kovalainen’s new found confidence is not creating rifts with his new team-mate, according to Dennis.
"I hope as and when it becomes competitive between the drivers that the harmony keeps on," he said.
Since joining the team at the beginning of the season, Kovalainen has finished fifth in Australia and third in Malaysia while Hamilton stormed to victory in Melbourne before finishing fifth in Malaysia.
Dennis also indicated that Kovalainen was the number one candidate to fill the position alongside Lewis Hamilton.
"He (Kovalainen) was miles ahead of any other option," explained Dennis.
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