Heikki Kovalainen believes KERS will prove to be an “extremely valuable” tool for McLaren at Monza next week, the Finn optimistic the team will have a car to recommence its late-season revival.
With the Italian Grand Prix venue the fastest circuit on the calendar and requiring cars to run in unique low-downforce specifications, teams running the energy-storing devices – of which McLaren and Ferrari are currently the only two – will be able to apply the associated power boost function down the long main straight and coming out of the numerous chicanes.
Although Kovalainen extended his personal points-scoring streak to four races with sixth place at the last round in Belgium, McLaren failed to repeat its recent front-running form with its MP4-24 not as happy in the circuit’s long high-speed corners.
However, with the team expecting Monza to suit its improving car more, Kovalainen – who finished second in the wet there last year – thinks KERS will be a major advantage, particularly in qualifying.
“I’ve scored points in the last four races and can see no reason why we shouldn’t be contenders for more points at Monza next weekend,” Kovalainen said.
“I love the place: I’ve won there in GP2, finished in the points in both my Formula 1 outings and I think our car will be reasonably well suited to the circuit.
“Like every team, we’ll be running a special low-downforce aero package in Italy – but we’ll also have the benefit of using KERS along the straights, which should give us a greater advantage over a single lap, especially in qualifying, where it will be extremely valuable. It should be fun!”
With McLaren continuing to develop its car as it looks to beat old rival Ferrari to third in the constructors’ championship, team principal Martin Whitmarsh says Monza will be a good test of its new low downforce package.
He agrees that KERS should help it to perform well, adding that its drivers will be able to get two bursts of extra power coming out of the Parabolica and then down the long main straight.
“It will be another interesting test for MP4-24 as we continue to develop the car – it will be useful to understand how it works in a low-downforce set-up,” he said.
“Of course, Monza is notable for being a power circuit, and, with KERS, we should see some incredible speeds – particularly during qualifying when the drivers will double-deploy KERS along the start/finish straight.”
Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, has already predicted that drivers will face a more challenging experience at Monza this year with the lack of a pre-race test meaning they won’t have experienced their cars in the lowest downforce settings before Friday practice.
Speaking on his official website, the world champion said he expects further upgrades to help McLaren get back among the leading contenders following its mini-slide at Spa.
“We know we’ve taken huge steps with the car since the start of the summer, but it’s frustrating that we didn’t get to see our race pace at Spa on Sunday,” he said.
“But we’ve got a low-downforce package for Monza and some more upgrades ahead of Singapore, so I think we’ll be in the hunt among the frontrunners.
“The most important thing is that we keep learning from this year’s car so we can make next year’s into a winner.”
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