Heikki Kovalainen backs Spaniard Fernando Alonso to win 2012 F1 Championship – Formula 1 news
Heikki Kovalainen of Caterham has backed up the Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferrari to win 2012 Formula 1 drivers’ championship after he secured third podium finish in Monaco Grand Prix held at Circuit de Monaco on May 27.
Alonso is currently leading the drivers’ championship with 76 points and he is 3 points ahead of Red Bull Racing pair of drivers, Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.
Even though, Ferrari struggled throughout the pre-season testing programme this year and they were expecting to face difficulties in the first few races. However, the two-time world champion has managed to limit the damage and has performed amazingly well
for his team.
In the season opener held at Albert Park in Melbourne, Australia, he secured an impressive fifth place finish after setting off from 12th grid position. Later, in the second race at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, he took an incredible victory
in the rainy conditions after qualifying for 8th place in the grid.
In the third race held at Shanghai International Circuit in China, he came 9th and secured 7th place finish in the fourth race at Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir.
Afterwards, he secured a remarkable second podium finish in the fifth race at Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona after qualifying for the same grid position.
Kovalainen said that Alonso is capable enough of winning the championship title this year.
“Yes, he will take the Championship this year,” the Caterham driver told Finland's Turun Sanomat. “Whenever there are special circumstances or weather conditions, there is always one common variable: Alonso is always at the forefront.”
On the other hand, Red Bull Racing principal, Christian Horner also believes that Alonso is the key factor and their main rival in this season.
“It's immensely tight,” he said after the Monaco Grand Prix. “You've got Fernando three points ahead of our two drivers, who are now tied. It's so open at the moment, you've got six or seven drivers that are all in serious contention. Fernando's driven very
well and he's going to be a key factor all the way through this championship, for sure.”
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