Kovalainen and Loeb swap seats for a day! - 5 DEC 2007
The enterprise and initiative of Total-Elf, partner of both
the ING Renault F1 Team and Citroën Sport, today saw
the recently-crowned four time World Rally champion Sébastien
Loeb swap his seat with Heikki Kovalainen during a special
promotional event at Le Castellet in the south of France.
Performing in front of a crowd of French and international
journalists, the drivers needed no encouragement to get into
the swing of things, and they spent much of the day in deep
discussion as they fine-tuned their driving styles, each trying
to find the limit of their machines.
Sébastien Loeb and Dani Sordo both got a taste of
Formula 1 power at the wheel of the world championship-winning
R26, victor of the 2006 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.
Sébastien Loeb, already familiar with circuit racing
after participating in the 2006 Le Mans 24 Hours, was delighted
to have the opportunity to drive another car with title-winning
credentials – and thrilled with the experience as he
climbed from the cockpit.
As for Heikki Kovalainen, he is a true Finn – and that
means rallying is in the blood. Today's test in the title-winning
Citroën C4 was a special day for the man from Suomussalmi,
as he took the wheel on a special stage near the Paul Ricard
HTTT. What's more, he had a pretty useful co-driver alongside
him, as Loeb took the second seat to provide the Finn a few
special tips.
Sébastien Loeb commented at the end of the
day: "Today has been a fantastic experience;
if I'm honest, it's a little bit like Christmas come early!
I have just become a father for the first time, I won my fourth
world title last weekend, and now a dream has come true: driving
a Formula 1 car for the first time. I was very impressed with
the grip generated by the aerodynamics, which is radically
different from what we are used to in rallying. I already
knew Paul Ricard well from my testing before Le Mans last
year, so it meant I could really make the most of today's
opportunity. It was a truly exceptional day."
Heikki Kovalainen echoed the words of his fellow
driver: "This was a wonderful day, and I had
a great time driving Sébastien's car. I had previously
been in this type of car as a co-driver, but this was miles
better! I felt quite comfortable, even though the sensations
are extremely different to what you feel in an F1 car. I talked
a lot with Sébastien and Dani, and it was interesting
to see how they controlled the car in the slow and high-speed
corners, and learn from it. In return, I was able to give
them some advice about the R26, and I hope they both enjoyed
the experience."
ING Renault F1 Team would like to thank Total-Elf for enabling
this special event, as well as Citroën Sport for their
collaboration.
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