A Renault Driver Development program member since 2002, Heikki Kovalainen officially joined the Renault F1 Team as third driver for the 2006 season.
After participating in testing activities since 2004, Heikki completed nearly 20,000 kilometers in 2006 and played an important role in the team's championship challenge. His excellent technical feedback, positive team-oriented attitude and innate speed brought him the reward he deserved: a race seat with the Renault F1 Team for the 2007 season.
Kovalainen had a rough start to the 2007 season, but eventually got comfortable in the seat to finish seventh in the point standings with 30 points. The highlight of the season was a second-place finish in Japan.
For 2008, Kovalainen switched places, essentially, with Fernando Alonso, as Alonso returned to Renault and Kovalainen took over his empty seat at McLaren.
Kovalainen captured his first F1 victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2008 after starting second. He scored a total of three podium finishes that season and finished seventh in the standings again with 53 points.
