Heikki Kovalainen was the second fastest round the circuit at the Paul Ricard HTTT track yesterday (Thursday) as the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team continued their testing process.

The Finnish driver completed 89 laps in the MP4-23 on the way to recording a fastest lap time of 1m05.471.

Faced with rainy conditions in the morning followed by a sunny afternoon, Kovalainen took over the car from team-mate Lewis Hamilton who tested on Wednesday.

As the team continues to prepare for the Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo, Kovalainen continued to test out the car’s specifications.

Also on the agenda were the Bridgestone Potenza tyres and set-up work.

The team complete a three day period of testing at the French venue today when Pedro de la Rosa, the designated test driver, gets behind the wheel to enjoy some lap time in the Formula One car.

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Lewis Hamilton was the fastest round the track as the Formula One drivers began a three day testing session.

He was back in action for the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team at the Paul Richard HTTT development track in Le Castelett and was the quickest driver on the circuit.

Clear and sunny conditions allowed the Brit to complete 84 laps and register a fastest lap time of 1m05.600.

The team is focussing on preparing for the up and coming Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo, with tyre testing at the forefront of the programme.

While the Bridgestone Potenza tyres will be tested by the team, engineers will also be looking at the aero package on the car and ensuring it is right for the race.

Heikki Kovalainen will get his turn to put the MP4-23 through its paces and gain some valuable track time when he drives today.

The Finnish driver will then make way for Pedro de la Rosa who will complete the schedule on Friday.

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This year’s French Grand Prix looks set to be the last to be held at Magny-Cours after Bernie Ecclestone called for an end to the circuit’s participation.

The Formula One boss believes the Circuit de Nevers is not easily accessible and told L’Equipe that 2008 would be the last time the race took place there.

"I would really love a French Grand Prix in the streets of Paris," Ecclestone said.

He also revealed that he was in talks with the French government over a possible race through the streets of Paris.

Ecclestone said that Francois Fillon, the French prime minister, had agreed to look into the possibility of having a Grand Prix in Paris "or just outside" with a race in 2010 the earliest chance.

A delay could see the race dropped from the calendar although it has been home to the French leg of the tour since 1991.

Last year’s race saw Lewis Hamilton finish third and the Brit will be hoping to improve on that placing when Vodafone McLaren Mercedes races on June 22nd.

In the meantime, the team will concentrate on the Monaco Grand Prix which takes place on May 25th in Monte Carlo.

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Lewis Hamilton believes the Monte Carlo Grand Prix is the most important race on the Formula One calendar.

The British driver has not won a race since the opening day of the season in Melbourne and believes Vodafone McLaren Mercedes can complete a one-two in a repeat of last season.

"Monaco is the dream Grand Prix to win, the most important race to win personally.

"If I feel I can win anywhere, it is definitely Monaco, but you have to be in the right place at the right time," he said.

Hamilton is currently in second place in the drivers’ championship after finishing one place off the lead in the Turkish Grand Prix and will be hoping to build on his solid start to the season.

Meanwhile, his team-mate Heikki Kovalainen will be desperate to score points in Monte Carlo after crashing out of the Spanish Grand Prix and enduring a frustrating puncture in the opening lap of the Turkish race.

But Hamilton is in no doubt that his team-mate will bounce back from his run of bad luck.

"I have no doubts he will be up at the front next time out," he explained.

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Lewis Hamilton finished the Turkish Grand Prix in second place to score eight points and keep him second in the drivers’ championship.

The Brit began the race in third behind team-mate Heikki Kovalainen but quickly overtook the Finnish driver after he suffered a puncture.

Speaking after the race, Hamilton said he was "thrilled" with the result.

"I think this is the best race ever for me. It’s not about winning, it’s about feeling that you extract 100 per cent from yourself and the car and I did that today," he said.

Using a three-stop strategy Hamilton revealed that winning the race would have been tough but believes he could have won had he achieved a pole position in qualifying.

Ron Dennis praised the Brit and described his race as "phenomenal" after difficulties with tyres and thought Kovalainen was unlucky to finish the race without points.

"I believe we have closed the gap to our main competition which gives the team a great boost before heading for Monte Carlo," Dennis added.

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Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has received a boost ahead of this weekend’s Turkish Grand Prix as Heikki Kovalainen was declared fit to race.

The Finnish driver was a doubt after crashing out of the Spanish Grand Prix but the FIA medical team gave him the all clear.

"I am obviously very pleased with the decision by the FIA medical team," Kovalainen said.

"My preparation for this weekend has gone well and we have done a lot of fitness training. Obviously a big thumbs up for all the FIA safety standards and the guys in Spain who worked hard to get me out of the car safely," he added.

Kovalainen said the accident was not as bad as it first looked and said that apart from a "little headache" he was feeling ready to train straight away.

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has revealed that a new front wheel on Kovalainen’s MP4-23 failed during the race and caused the accident.

The team and the wheel supplier have established "new procedures" to ensure the problem does not reoccur.

As Heikki Kovalainen prepares for his FIA fitness test ahead of the Turkish Grand Prix, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes believes the problem that caused his crash in Spain was down to a damaged wheel rim.

Speaking to German newspaper Bild, Norbert Haug, the vice president of Mercedes-Benz motorsport, said a production error could have caused the crash.

"A Formula One rim is very complicated and comprises of several different alloys. Something has apparently gone wrong," he said.

Luckily, Kovalainen escaped without serious injuries but the same could not be said for his car.

Martin Whitmarsh, the team’s chief operating officer, said that the damaged vehicle was taken back to the McLaren Technology Centre for forensic testing.

"Every part was immediately quarantined whilst the forensic analysis into the cause of the incident is completed. This is usual practice and some components may be salvaged in due course," he explained.

Kovalainen could be racing by tomorrow (Friday) if he passes the fitness test set by the FIA today.

If the medics decide he is not fit to race it is likely that the team’s testing driver, Pedro de la Rosa, is likely to step in.

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The Formula One season descends on Istanbul this weekend for the Turkish Grand Prix and Heikki Kovalainen is hoping to be fit for the race.

Kovalainen crashed out of the Spanish Grand Prix and has been back in training in preparation for the race.

But he will have to have a fitness test with the FIA on Thursday to determine his racing credentials.

"I can’t wait to get back into the car and race with the team next weekend, but at the end of the day that decision is out of my hands, the FIA will make it based on safety grounds only," he explained.

Lewis Hamilton believes that the track has plenty of overtaking points but emphasised the importance of qualifying as well as competing alongside Kovalainen.

"I also hope to have Heikki alongside me for the race so we can get a good joint result for the team, I know he has a final check at the track on Thursday so we will have to wait and see until then," he said.

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes won the inaugural race when it was added to the calendar in 2005 and the team will be hoping to do the same at the Istanbul Speed Park.

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Jamie Green won the third round of the 2008 DTM Championship in Mugello, Italy with Paul Di Resta finishing in second place to guarantee a one-two finish for Mercedes-Benz.

Green finished 3.166 seconds ahead of Di Resta while Bernd Schneider finished the race in fourth.

The win took Green up to second place in the championship table with 17 points - just a single point behind the leader.

"The start was the key for my win," Green said after the race.

"The car was perfect and with the pit stops and the strategy our team didn’t put a foot wrong. I am proud of the team performance of Mercedes-Benz and HWA and I am happy that I could reward everybody for their hard work with my victory today," he added.

Di Resta was also pleased with his performance saying that "everything went well".

Norbert Haug, vice president of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, felt the result was a deserved victory.

"We had a good strategy, a good speed and optimum pit stops," he said.

Speaking about Green and Di Resta, Haug added: "Like Lewis Hamilton, they came from our Formula 3 junior programme and all three have been Euro Series champions."

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The Modified Mercedes-Benz C-Class safety car got its first taste of action in the DTM championship at Oschersleben in the second round of racing.

Peter Lux, the man behind the wheel of the C 63 AMG, was called into action to cover the first kilometres ahead of the race and again after 50 minutes.

A collision between Maro Engel and Tom Kristensen called Lux into action and he led the cars round the track at speed before bending off into the bit lane.

The top of the range Mercedes-Benz C-Class is equipped with an AMG V8 engine delivering 457bhp.

Modifications were also made to the brakes and suspension system of the car in order to allow Lux to get ahead of the field and keep them going at a steady pace so they do not overheat.

"It’s my task to collect the field and guide it past the scene of an incident in a controlled way, thus offering the stewards the opportunity to execute their task without being troubled," he told DTM.com.

While the modified C-Class ensures safety on the track, drivers on the road are in safe hands.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class saloon is not only packed with safety features but it has also been awarded a five star rating for adults from Euro NCAP.

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