Heikki Kovalainen inherits his first and only Formula 1 victory

Heikki Kovalainen spent most of the 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix behind the two drivers expected to win it. Lewis Hamilton then suffered a puncture, Felipe Massa’s engine failed with three laps remaining, and Kovalainen found himself leading a Formula 1 race for the first time when almost all of the difficult work appeared to have been completed by somebody else.

Kovalainen had joined McLaren at the beginning of 2008 after Fernando Alonso’s departure. He partnered Hamilton, whose rookie championship challenge had established him as the team’s central contender.

The Finn’s opening half of the season produced flashes of speed but few complete results. A heavy accident in Spain interrupted his progress, while Hamilton collected victories in Australia, Monaco, Britain and Germany.

Massa passes both McLarens

Hamilton qualified on pole at the Hungaroring, with Kovalainen alongside him. Massa started third but made the decisive move before the first corner, passing Kovalainen and then driving around the outside of Hamilton to take the lead.

The Ferrari driver controlled the race despite pressure from Hamilton. That contest changed when the McLaren suffered a front-left puncture and required an unscheduled stop, dropping Hamilton away from the leaders.

Kovalainen moved into second but remained well behind Massa. The Ferrari appeared secure until its engine failed on the main straight with three laps remaining. Massa stopped beside the pit wall, leaving Kovalainen to inherit the lead.

Welcome to the world of winning

Kovalainen completed the remaining laps and finished 11.061 seconds ahead of Timo Glock’s Toyota. Kimi Räikkönen placed third for Ferrari.

The result made Kovalainen a Formula 1 Grand Prix winner in his 28th start. McLaren team principal Ron Dennis welcomed him to the world of winning over the radio and expressed the hope that it would be the first of many victories.

It was not. Kovalainen returned to the podium once more, finishing second at Monza later in 2008, but never won another Grand Prix. He remained with McLaren for 2009 before moving to the new Lotus team, later renamed Caterham, where points were beyond the machinery’s realistic reach.

The Hungarian victory was fortunate, but Kovalainen had still placed himself in the position required to inherit it. Hamilton’s puncture and Massa’s failure removed the faster contenders. The remaining McLaren was close enough, healthy enough and driven cleanly enough to take the result.