Question: What’s the key to a good lap around Monza?
Heikki Kovalainen: “You really need a car that’s stable under braking. When we run such low downforce, the car becomes very light under braking, so you can’t push too hard; the car moves around a little bit more than normal. So the whole approach to driving the car becomes slightly different - you tend to be a touch more cautious and build up your speed as the weekend progresses. You also need to get the second chicane just right - it’s got big, high kerbs; if you can get the car to ride them just right, then you can make big gains in lap time.”
Question: You particularly enjoy high-speed circuits, what are you feelings about the Italian Grand Prix?
Heikki Kovalainen: “I enjoy this place, but although Monza is the fastest track on the calendar, not all of its corners are super-fast. Of course, the Ascari chicane and Parabolica are both high-speed, but the first corner is very tight and the Lesmos are both medium-speed corners. But yes, I like the circuit; balancing a Formula 1 car through the faster stuff is something I really enjoy; I was very competitive at Silverstone and Spa and I’m confident I’ll be strong this weekend.”
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