A delighted Heikki Kovalainen hopes the floodgates will now open after he finally scored his maiden grand prix victory in Hungary.
Finn delighted after scoring breakthrough win
A delighted Heikki Kovalainen hopes the floodgates will now open after he finally scored his maiden grand prix victory in Hungary.
The Finn, who started on the front row of the grid, was gifted his first-ever GP win at the Hungaroring when race leader Felipe Massa's engine blew up with just three laps remaining.
Team-mate Lewis Hamilton had earlier removed himself from the equation after suffering a puncture on lap 41 - the Briton eventually finishing fifth.
Having raced for Renault in his rookie season last year, Kovalainen's breakthrough victory came in what was his 28th Formula One start.
And the 26-year-old is relieved to finally get the monkey off his back after coming close to victory on several occasions.
"Of course I feel a little sorry for Felipe, and even for Lewis, because they both drove a great race," Kovalainen said.
"But I know how they feel because I've had similar moments myself this year, quite a few times.
"After Saturday I've been in a position to fight for the victory, but something has always gone wrong, something hasn't functioned perfectly.
"Today, Massa and Lewis were both very fast at the beginning of the race, but halfway through I felt it was starting to work for me a little better.
"At the end I just tried to pressure Massa and hope something would happen, and obviously it looked like he had a mechanical failure.
"So it all worked fine for me and I am very, very happy about it.
"To stand on the top step of the podium and to hear the Finnish anthem playing for me was fantastic. It was a great moment.
"It is something I have been targeting for many, many years now since I started to get an idea about the possibility of becoming a Formula One driver.
"I have spent a lot of time trying to achieve this goal, so to do so is very pleasing.
"Hopefully this is the first of many. We just need to keep focused, have a little break and then try to repeat this at the next round."