Armanius - 30 October 2009 05:10 PM

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=350770&FS=F1

McLaren insists it operates without a driver hierarchy, but Kovalainen, 27, painted a different picture in conversation with the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat.

"It was always difficult to accept that Lewis was always the first to receive the new parts.

"I have never wanted to make a big deal about it, but it would have been nice to just once had the new parts on my car, particularly after we lost the chance of winning the championship," he said.

"I could have complained publicly but instead wanted to show the team that I always give maximum effort with the car that I have, and I think they realise that."

Kovalainen also alleges that he has not enjoyed equal status in terms of race strategies.

"Every time this season when Hamilton and I are in the third part (Q3) of qualifying, I had to do it with more fuel. If you take into account the quantities of fuel, I would have had pole position several times," he insists.

Kovalainen admits his performances at times this season could have been better, but does not rule out staying at McLaren in 2010.

"I am 100 per cent sure that McLaren has not yet made a decision. We'll see what they do," he said.

I feel for Kovy, but what was he expecting when he joined McLaren? He should have known that he was joining Hammy's team. Plus, someone in the team will get the new parts first, and someone will get the "optimal" fuel strategy. It might as well be the better driver (or at least the perceived better driver), which in this case, IMO, the better driver would be Hammy.

Kovalainen is a big cry-baby who is now throwing his toys out of the pram.

Mclaren has always treated his drivers equally and now Heikki demands preferential treatment over Hamilton. OMG...OMG...OMG!!!






[Sarcastic Mode OFF]

Guess what - when I saw you had posted here I knew what would be in your post before looking. Are we getting too predictable? I'm talking of myself as well so please take this as humour.



The thing with that is McLaren advertised they will be giving him equal treatment to Lewis. That makes them hypocrites and even liars as they didn't do what they said they will do. It would have been better for them to say right up front they are not going to give him equal treatment compared to Lewis, I would have been a bit sad about that but would not have been so upset when I saw it happen. I would not be calling McLaren hypocrites and liars here had they said it right away this is what we are going to do. Perhaps the best way for them would have been to just shut up about it completely as I don't think they are going to announce no equal treatment will be given. Because they try to maintain a "perfect" image and that has no place in such an image. But with the lying they made it even worse.

anzie - 30 October 2009 08:24 PM

Guess what - when I saw you had posted here I knew what would be in your post before looking. Are we getting too predictable? I'm talking of myself as well so please take this as humour.



The thing with that is McLaren advertised they will be giving him equal treatment to Lewis. That makes them hypocrites and even liars as they didn't do what they said they will do. It would have been better for them to say right up front they are not going to give him equal treatment compared to Lewis, I would have been a bit sad about that but would not have been so upset when I saw it happen. I would not be calling McLaren hypocrites and liars here had they said it right away this is what we are going to do. Perhaps the best way for them would have been to just shut up about it completely as I don't think they are going to announce no equal treatment will be given. Because they try to maintain a "perfect" image and that has no place in such an image. But with the lying they made it even worse.

I agree with you Anzie.

I have no problem for any team to declare their #1 and #2 drivers. However, "certain" team praises itself as being the ultimate heaven of equality, while in reality they have a favorite driver and a not so favorite one.

I really feel it for Kovalainen because this has caused his stock to bomb in the drivers market, and I am afraid it will cause him to get a ride of lower quality than what he deserves.

The 'lower quality team', if giving him #1 status, might be better for him.

anzie - 30 October 2009 08:24 PM

Guess what - when I saw you had posted here I knew what would be in your post before looking. Are we getting too predictable? I'm talking of myself as well so please take this as humour.



The thing with that is McLaren advertised they will be giving him equal treatment to Lewis. That makes them hypocrites and even liars as they didn't do what they said they will do. It would have been better for them to say right up front they are not going to give him equal treatment compared to Lewis, I would have been a bit sad about that but would not have been so upset when I saw it happen. I would not be calling McLaren hypocrites and liars here had they said it right away this is what we are going to do. Perhaps the best way for them would have been to just shut up about it completely as I don't think they are going to announce no equal treatment will be given. Because they try to maintain a "perfect" image and that has no place in such an image. But with the lying they made it even worse.

Why, Anzie, if you didn't take that stance, they would be accussing you of UNMOTIVATED POSTING.

The thing we are not taking into account is that Heikki came in in the Ron empire with all its residual trappings of Lew being the new F1 god. He also has the stigma of Flav management this year which seems to be carrying a stain.
He really should have expected to be the mule of the team after the Alonso days, no matter what they told him.
He's young, lets see if he's learning. Get to another team do well and maybe go back to Mac when they get their act together again.
Still think Renault with Kubica is the place for him.

duh Heikki

I feel for Heikki, especially with his job threatened. Though from the perspective of Whitmarsh, what do you do when you only have one set of parts to put on a car, because the shop is working night and day to catch up. Do you put those parts on the car that's second in points. Heikki's only lead in points was after China and that because of the lost of position for Hamilton in the Liegate.
Without the ability to test any of the parts and you have to look at which car do you put them on, the guy leading in points and the defending champion or Heikki's car.
I do see Heikki's point that after the elimination of any shot at the WDC but that's only two races ago, and from the performance aspect the cars both were fast.
We now know that Hamilton was still getting parts that Heikki wasn't and this after Heikki had already been told that his seat was in jeopardy.
In pure speculation, maybe he was being tested with inferior parts to Hamilton for judgment as to whether Mclaren keeps him or not. A test to see how he reacts when the chips are down.
He has responded with some good performances and as we now know with a lesser package than Hamilton, Heikki was still in the hunt.
Mclaren knows this because it's their decision to make and surely will be part of their decisions towards Heikki. It could work out to be a good thing for Heikki, as Kimi is available right now and has been for a race, yet Heikki hasn't been given his walking papers.
Me thinks there's a good chance he'll still be driving a Mclaren next year because he's a proven team player and Mclaren tends to stand behind the drivers who stand with them.
IMHO, if it was Ron Dennis still running the team, Heikki would be gone already, but Whitmarsh seems a lot more methodical in his decisions and a straight up guy when it comes to team decisions. The very fact that Heikki hasn't been told already that he's gone, should be held in a positive light especially when you got Kimi standing around without a ride for next year. So far Heikki's still got a contract in hand that's going to full length. Mclaren has no reason not to let him go if they wanted to....

As much as teams attempt to give their drivers equal treatment...someone has to get the most promising new parts first. Until the parts are proven to be 'better' the team has to hedge it's bets to hopefully get the best possible team result.

No surprise. Kimi was number 1 at McLaren, Mika was number 1, Senna with Berger. And all along McLaren said they give equal treatment, just like Renault said with Alonso and of course it's nonsense. It's unfortunate that teams have to kowtow to the Formula Mediocre crowd who howl and scream about team orders and "preferential" treatment and make clearly hilarious statements about equal treatment. You concentrate on your best driver.

What's worse is number 2 drivers who cannot assert themselves as number 1's and earn the sport complaining about it (see Rubens Barichello). Of course number 1's cry about treatment as well when they're baffled by occasionally be outdone by their teammates (see Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, and especially Montoya and Mansell).

Heikki is talented but like many F1 drivers who are not top tier like Alonso, Hamilton, and Kimi, he lacks lap to lap or lap after lap consistency. You don't get to be number 1 because you've been "groomed" or you complain a lot, you get to be number 1 by results, and the team knows who gets results.

As for McLaren being hypocrites, add Renault to that list and Heikki for not always being straightforward about the situation.

jfme - 30 October 2009 08:35 PM

anzie - 30 October 2009 08:24 PM

Guess what - when I saw you had posted here I knew what would be in your post before looking. Are we getting too predictable? I'm talking of myself as well so please take this as humour.



The thing with that is McLaren advertised they will be giving him equal treatment to Lewis. That makes them hypocrites and even liars as they didn't do what they said they will do. It would have been better for them to say right up front they are not going to give him equal treatment compared to Lewis, I would have been a bit sad about that but would not have been so upset when I saw it happen. I would not be calling McLaren hypocrites and liars here had they said it right away this is what we are going to do. Perhaps the best way for them would have been to just shut up about it completely as I don't think they are going to announce no equal treatment will be given. Because they try to maintain a "perfect" image and that has no place in such an image. But with the lying they made it even worse.

I agree with you Anzie.

I have no problem for any team to declare their #1 and #2 drivers. However, "certain" team praises itself as being the ultimate heaven of equality, while in reality they have a favorite driver and a not so favorite one.

I really feel it for Kovalainen because this has caused his stock to bomb in the drivers market, and I am afraid it will cause him to get a ride of lower quality than what he deserves.

I'm not going to debate the preferential treatment Heikki didn't get, but that is not what caused his stock to dive. I think what caused him to hit rock bottom was being dumped by Renault (a floundering team) and being replaced by Nelson. If anything his stock has risen slightly at McLaren. Anyone that matters in F1 knows exactly how that team was run with Lewis on board and would expect no more from Kova than performance as a competent #2. He has had the opportunity to show what he is capable of in a good (for at least part of the last 2 years) car and if he has failed to convince those who control the cards, he has himself to blame.
Massa was able to turn his test driver status at Ferrari, into a #2 to Schumie, and finally into an equal if not favoured status with Kimi. There is no reason why Heiki could not have done the same. Certainly being #2 to a WDC is better for your rep, than being dumped for Nelson. Who knows, he may still end up as the #1 at Toyota, at which point you'd have to say his stock has risen not fallen at McLaren.
jmhoocbisbi