Lotus were responsible for one of the most dramatic moments of the race when Heikki Kovalainen’s car caught fire. He said stopping it on the start/finish straight instead of the pit lane was the safest thing to do.
| Jarno Trulli | Heikki Kovalainen | |
| Qualifying position | 21 | 19 |
| Qualifying time comparison (Q1) | 1’51.641 (+0.726) | 1’50.915 |
| Race position | 16 | |
| Average race lap | 2’15.195 (+16.101) | 1’59.095 |
| Laps | 27/61 | 58/61 |
| Pit stops | 3 | 2 |
Open lap times interactive chart in new window
Jarno Trulli
Trulli had a dreadful weekend in Singapore last year and this year was little different. Mike Gascoyne acknowledged it was not one of his driver’s favourite circuits.
A puncture forced an early pit stops and hydraulic problems ended his race.
Compare Jarno Trulli’s form against his team mate in 2010
Heikki Kovalainen
Kovalainen was running 12th towards the end of the race which is higher than Lotus have finished this year. But he wasn’t able to hold off the recovering Michael Schumacher or Sebastien Buemi.
The Toro Rosso driver made contact on his way past, causing the damage that led to Kovalainen’s spectacular fire:
We were looking good for 15th, but then I had a coming together with Buemi towards the end of the race. I spun the car to get back onto the track which I think cracked the fuel tank pressure release valve and it looks like that caused an airbox fire.
I didn?t want to come into the pits as it definitely wasn?t safe enough to do so, and pulled over on the main straight. A couple of guys from Williams gave me an extinguisher, so I put the fire out on my own ?ǣ I told Tony and Mike that they maybe need to pay me more as I?m now a fireman as well.
Heikki Kovalainen
Compare Heikki Kovalainen’s form against his team mate in 2010
2010 Singapore Grand Prix
- Technical review: Singapore Grand Prix
- Webber: Ferrari have momentum (Video)
- Final tracks suit McLaren better – Button
- No change in my approach – Hamilton
- Williams expect to keep up with Renault
- 2010 Singapore Grand Prix – the complete F1 Fanatic race weekend review
- Who was the best driver of the Singapore Grand Prix weekend? (Poll)
- Fourth win of 2010 is Alonso’s best yet (Ferrari race review)
- Poor pace and another Hamilton DNF hits title hopes (McLaren race review)
- Webber has champion’s luck but lacks Vettel’s pace (Red Bull race review)
Image ?? Singapore GP
Tango
27th September 2010, 15:33
” I told Tony and Mike that they maybe need to pay me more as I’m now a fireman as well.”
Cheeky. I guess Heikki doesn’t now how little a fireman is paid (if he is indeed paid)
BasCB
27th September 2010, 18:54
He might be called Snowman now (for the CO2 snow) or the flaming Fin!
Sounds like some realy good thinking from Heiki. I like the guy.
US_Peter (@us_peter)
27th September 2010, 21:30
Now from Finland we have the Iceman, and the Fireman. I think they need an all Finnish team for the two of them.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
28th September 2010, 2:51
Well said Peter, LOL
Mike
28th September 2010, 11:41
Oh god it’s like pokemon all over again…
macahan
27th September 2010, 15:41
I absolutely loved how calm and composed he was.. Just coasting to a stop, getting out of the car in a calm manner. Going over to the pit wall just few steps away asking for a extinguisher then going over to the car putting the fire out. No rush anywhere in sight. Just calm and collected. I thought the commentators on SpeedTV was going to have a heart attack urging him to hurry to get out of the car and get away from it.
If you wouldn’t know better you could have believed he had practiced this very thing and it was entirely planned. Absolutely brilliant done.
Guess we have a new “iceman” in F1. ;)
But I guess after racing on a course like that at those speeds a little fire like that don’t get the adrenaline pumping that much..
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
27th September 2010, 19:06
Heikki’s fire was the best highlight of the year from the new teams!
He was so calm there, trying to find an extinguisher, then slowly stepping out of the car and putting the fire out!
Lovely! You made me smile, Heikki!
US_Peter (@us_peter)
27th September 2010, 21:31
I was impressed how calm he stayed. I was yelling at the TV “GET OUT!”
James H
27th September 2010, 20:29
“I didn’t want to come into the pits as it definitely wasn’t safe enough to do so”–HK
Wuh? Is pitlane covered in corporate guests during races nowadays? I call balderdash on this one, he was trying to get that one more lap in to secure a higher classified position.
A driver is always safer pulling into pitlane.
[2nd posting edited to take out swears, as per F1F rules. Mods can delete this if they accept my first posting.]
Kodongo
27th September 2010, 21:26
You mean the pit lane where there are a dozen sets of mechanics plus team personnel? You must be joking. Heikki did the right thing, to park it on the straight, out of immediate danger. If the worst came to worst, they could divert the racing cars through the pits under a safety car. Wide open pit straight versus confined pit lane is no contest. Luckily, Heikki had the calm in the heat (literally) of the moment to choose a safer option.
LewisC
28th September 2010, 13:54
I agree – good calm thinking from Heikki, put it as close to a large number of fire extinguishers as possible but out of the way (the racing line is on the other side of the straight).
And crossing the finish line for one more lap didn’t do any harm either ;)
Enigma (@enigma)
28th September 2010, 15:31
But he would cross the finish line had he gone to the pits – the finish line is right at the beginning of the pits.
James H
30th September 2010, 8:56
I think you might have to cross the extension of the Finish line if you complete your race in the pits, entering pit lane may stop the clocks but won’t count as another lap completed.
Steph
27th September 2010, 23:54
Heikki was worried about the risk of explosion he said. There was the pit wall and mechanics to think of. It was clear he would never make another lap
James_mc
28th September 2010, 14:32
No, but the pit wall which is open to the pit lane has many team members in non-fire retardant overalls
James H
30th September 2010, 8:46
This is my point exactly. If you drive into pit lane at the start (and end) there are plenty of marshals, fire fighting gear, and team personnel who can run down pitlane with fire fighting equipment.
Luis
28th September 2010, 16:28
I always knew Kovalainen was the hottest F1 driver (pun intended).
Wesley
29th September 2010, 23:18
Are you joking James H?
He kept the fire on the other side of the wall where there were no people and THEN extinguished the fire himself AFTER racing two hours in G-forces that exceed what fighter pilots have to endure…..yeah,what a terrible decisision.As far as I’m concerned,Heikki is smart and brave!Finnish drivers are so cool.
James H
30th September 2010, 8:54
I’m not saying it was a heroic act or not. I just think the notion that pit lane is a dangerous place for a car on fire is silly. And I don’t think on pit straight was less dangerous. And I think Heikki knows all this, he was simply trying to hustle another lap out of the car, maybe snatch an extra classified place or 2.