FORMULA ONE

• McLaren inks Kovalainen

  
  

  London, England (Sports Network) - Finland's Heikki Kovalainen has signed a "long-term" deal with McLaren-Mercedes to drive the second car along with Lewis Hamilton.

  Kovalainen was left without a seat at Renault when two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso returned to Renault (from McLaren) last week.

  "We had a number of options open to us and as always we want to make sure that we have the most competitive driver line-up and I think that Lewis and Heikki will be a formidable combination," said McLaren chief executive Martin Whitmarsh. "I am confident they'll work well together." McLaren's 2007 season was filled by a squabble between Hamilton and Alonso that almost tore the team apart and certainly cost them a championship. They were also kicked out of the manufacturer's championship after receiving and using documents detailing Ferrari's race car.

  In his rookie season, Kovalainen scored 30 points and finished seventh overall.

  However, he was overshadowed by another rookie, Hamilton, who won four times and led the championship until the final race before finishing in a tie for second.

  The 26-year-old Kovalainen's best result was a second place at the Japanese Grand Prix. He finished the year with three top-5s and 14 top-10s.

  12/14 14:36:35 ET