Heikki Kovalainen

Heikki Kovalainen is a race car driver born in Suomussalmi, Finland on the 19th of October 1981. He will race in the 2005 GP2 Series for the Arden team, who are the current constructors champions.

Kovalainen's career, like many drivers, started in karting competitions in 1999. He stayed in karting for two years, winning some major championships along the way, including the 2001 Elf Masters. In 2001 he drove in British Formula Renault, driving the number four car, before moving to British Formula Three with the Fortec team in 2002.

2003 brought another move of series, Kovalainen heading to the Formula Nissan World Series. After a good first season with the Gabord team, he jumped ship to Pons and won the championship.

His success in the series resulted in interest from the Formula 3000 champions Arden International, and they as a result snapped him up as their first driver for the inaugurual GP2 Series season. His team-mate is Nicolas Lapierre, a former winner of the Macau Formula Three GP, and Kovalainen will be expected to push for the title in 2005.

He attracted international attention after winning the title Champion of Champions in the 2004 Race of Champions. To attain the title he had to beat both 2004 WRC Champion Sebastien Loeb and 2004 Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher.

GP2 Series Record