Lotus driver Heikki Kovalainen remained in good spirits despite a disappointing end in Singapore saw his car catch fire.
Finn laughs off late-race blaze
Lotus driver Heikki Kovalainen remained in good spirits despite a disappointing end to the Singapore Grand Prix that saw his car catch fire.
The Finn was running well before he stopped on the start/finish straight on the penultimate lap with flames enveloping the rear of his machine.
He opted not to enter the pits, instead grabbing a fire extinguisher from over the pit wall and putting out the blaze himself.
"That was not quite how I thought my race would end," Kovalainen said.
"Until the fire I was having a really strong run, and the car had felt good throughout.
Collision
"We were looking good for 15th, but then I had a coming-together with (Toro Rosso's Sebastien) Buemi towards the end of the race.
"I spun the car to get back onto the track, which I think cracked the fuel tank pressure release valve and it looks like that caused an airbox fire.
"I didn't want to come into the pits as it definitely wasn't safe enough to do so, and pulled over on the main straight.
"A couple of guys from Williams gave me an extinguisher, so I put the fire out on my own.
"I've told (team owner) Tony (Fernandes) and (chief technical officer) Mike (Gascoyne) that they maybe need to pay me more as I'm now a fireman as well."
