23/11/2005
NEWS STORY
As predicted by Pitpass for some time, despite claims that he was heading to BMW, Heikki Kovalainen will be Renault's test driver in 2006.
Although the team has yet to make an official announcement, team boss Flavio Briatore, confirmed the Finn's role, whilst singing his praises, in an interview with Italian magazine, Autosprint.
"He is the future of F1," said Briatore, who has previously guided Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso to World Championship glory.
"We have invested a lot in him," he continued, "and there is no truth in rumours of him racing for BMW in 2006. He will be our test driver, and he will follow the same programme we used for Fernando.
"In 2007 he will surely be on the F1 grid," added the Italian, "but I don't know whether it will be with Renault or another team. We shall see."