Published>Thu, Jan 28 10 10:09 PM
Heikki Kovalainen knows where he went wrong at McLaren and is unwilling to predict how Formula One champion Jenson Button will fare as his replacement alongside Lewis Hamilton.
The Finn, now with newcomers Lotus, told Reuters in a telephone interview on Thursday that, while he had left McLaren on good terms, he would do things differently in future.
"I have analysed it quite a lot myself and with the people around me, with my family and with everybody," he said of his time at McLaren.
"We tried very hard with McLaren towards the end of my time there. It didn't work out. I don't want to get into the reason why too much, there's no point.
"I think I know why it didn't work out for me and I am starting from another place now and let's see how it works out."
McLaren had a roller-coaster season last year, starting out with an uncompetitive car but improving it to the point where Hamilton at least was able to return to the top of the podium in Hungary and Singapore.
The Mercedes-powered team will reveal their new car on Friday with Button joining from Brawn as 2008 champion Hamilton's new partner.
"I don't know how it is going to work out for him (Jenson), the only thing I can say is that he will find a team that is warm and very professional. I'm sure they will be very motivated and work flat out for him," said Kovalainen.
"That's what he will find. Whether it will work out for him I don't know."
NEW START
The Finn, whose only win to date was with McLaren in Hungary in 2008, joins experienced Italian Jarno Trulli at Malaysian-backed Lotus.
"If I went back in time I would still go to McLaren, no question about it. But I would do things very differently," said Kovalainen.
"I am doing things differently at Lotus and my target is to get 100 percent out of the team all the time. At McLaren I felt I didn't get everything out of the team."
The new car is due to be fired up for the first time at the Hingham factory on Feb. 5 and launched a week later. Malaysian test driver Fairuz Fauzy will carry out the initial shakedown.
"The first chassis has arrived here and everyone's building it. The engine is here already so there are quite a lot more people working here compared to a week and a half ago when I was here last time," said Kovalainen.
"It all looks very positive, everybody is flat out working because it will be busy until the first test and first race, it will be very hectic. But for me it all looks like it is progressing really well.
"It (the car) looks fantastic. I don't expect it to be a rocket to start with but it looks really cool, people will be surprised when they see the car."
Neither driver is under any illusions about the team's prospects this year, with the main target being to finish ahead of the other newcomers.
"For me, it's just a new chapter in my career and I feel I am in very good shape," said Kovalainen, who had been linked to a return to Renault before opting for Lotus.
"I expect some tough times, especially the first half of the season, but I have to go through them. I think we have a lot of potential and that's why I decided to join. I think in the long run this can be a very good place for me."
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