Kovalainen, who drives in the Japanese rally series, underwent open heart surgery in April. Now he is back on the race tracks.
Heart surgery did not prevent Heikki Kovalainen, 42, the end of rally car fun. Kovalainen returned to the Japanese rally series at the beginning of July just under three months after the open heart surgery he underwent.
Kovalainen was found to have heart disease during a regular medical examination last November, and the former F1 driver said For Autosport thinking that his rising rally career might soon be over.
In Kovalainen’s case, it is a hereditary disease, enlargement of the ascending aorta.
If the Finnish driver’s heart disease had not been treated, the risk could have been, for example, life-threatening internal bleeding.
– I could have continued without surgery, but with very strict restrictions, and I wasn’t very interested in that.
Kovalainen said that heart disease and the subsequent surgery were the biggest challenge in his life.
– It was a pure coincidence that we decided to check the heart, so I was kind of lucky that it worked out.
– My first thought was just to return to normal life. I have to admit that the thought of returning to rallying or even racing also crossed my mind. It would have been quite a decision not to have been able to compete or rally anymore.
– Maybe not quite in the WRC or at the top of the world, but I still want to continue driving, 42-year-old Kovalainen added about his competition goals in an interview with rally media.
Last year, Kovalainen drove a full rally series season in Japan and achieved his second championship in the country’s main class. His calendar also had WRC2 class and European Championship rallies in the World Series marked on his calendar for this season.
“I’m not going to be the new Kalle Rovanperä”
After a nine-day hospital stay, Kovalainen returned home and gradually continued working on his rally career.
– The doctors told me that I can do what I want and without restrictions. It immediately gave rise to the idea of returning to rallying.
On the first weekend of July, Kovalainen finished 14th overall in the Japanese rally championships in Aicello’s team, with Toyota’s Rally2 car.
Kovalainen joked to Autosport that, at the age of 42, he does not aim to be the next “Kalle Rovanperä“.
– I probably won’t be another Kalle Rovanperä, but I can still achieve good results. That’s what drives me forward.
Kovalainen has planned to continue participating in championships in the Japanese series, including some rallies in Europe.
– I want to continue in Japan. I really enjoyed working with the team and Toyota and we now have a new car. There are eight races a year, plus a WRC event, so the number is about right for me.
In his racing career, Kovalainen previously drove in Formula 1 between 2007 and 2013, achieving the only victory of his F1 career at the Hungarian GP in 2008.