Kovalainen has successful open-heart surgery

One-time grand prix winner Heikki Kovalainen has undergone open-heart surgery in the United States.

The Finn took to social media to announce the procedure had been a success and was now on the road to recovery.

“I was diagnosed with an ascending aortic aneurysm at the end of last year,” Kovalainen said.

“Basically, a piece of the ascending aorta that was dilated quite a lot.

“I was actually operated on last week in Tampa at the University Hospital, in the heart hospital unit there.

“There was a wonderful team of doctors and nurses and assistants that took care of me there.

“It was an open heart surgery, so I have a [scar] forever now under this shirt on my chest. But the surgery went well and we managed to get done exactly what we were planning to do.

“The outlook is quite good. There is an opportunity to make a full recovery and regain full fitness, but of course time will only tell eventually how it all works out.

“But so far the estimation is quite good, so I’m very pleased with that.”

Kovalainen raced in F1 from 2007 until 2013, winning the 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix while team-mate to Lewis Hamilton at McLaren.

F1 return to Turkey?

A 3-year lease to Istanbul Park circuit in Turkey has been sold to Can Bilim Egitim Kurulari A.S in a deal woth $117.8 million, according to local outlet, Habertuck.

It’s claimed a clause in that deal states that the venue will host F1 by 2026 or penalties will be payable to Turkey’s motorsport federation.

Sources have confirmed to Speedcafe that there are conversations taking place locally, though F1 is not involved.

It’s reported that FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem will visit the circuit in the near future, having met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan where both F1 and the World Rally Championship were discussed.

Curiously, the company that now owns the rights to the circuit is part-owned by Lale Cander, chairman of Pirelli in Turkey.

FIA clubs encourage legal action

FIA member clubs and sports federations of the Americas have written an open letter to the governing body encouraging it to pursue legal action over accusations against president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

The FIA president has been cleared of allegations he attempted to interfere with the result of the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and hinder the the circuit licence required for Las Vegas to host F1.

The FIA is also the subject of a criminal complaint from Susie Wolff regarding a short-lived investigation into a potential conflict of interest.

The letter, published on the FIA website, stated that the signatories “recommend that the FIA initiate legal action against those who, without cause, slander the FIA and its leadership.”

It also adds: “the selection of the FIA President is enshrined in the FIA Statutes and is the sole purview of its voting members and is not impacted by those from outside the organization who attempt, for their own self-interest, to intervene.

“We endorse and ratify our vote of confidence in support of Mr. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, for his stewardship of the FIA and his progress to fulfilling his commitment to transform the FIA in an ethical and transparent manner in order to better serve its members.”

A decade on

The Japanese Grand Prix weekend was used to mark 10 years since the crash, which cost Jules Bianchi his life.

Driving for Marussia, the Frenchman crashed in atrocious conditions at the Dunlop Curve in 2014, where his car impacted a vehicle recovering Adrian Sutil’s stricken Sauber.

Bianchi finally succumbed to his injuries eight months later, aged just 25.

To commemorate the occasion, Charles Leclerc wore a special helmet for the weekend.

Bianchi was godfather to Leclerc, who was competing in Formula Renault in Spain that weekend.

Honda Racing Gallery opens in Suzuka

Honda has opened a facility at the Suzuka circuit to showcase a host of its Formula 1 machines.

The Honda Racing Gallery officially opened its doors on April 5 and boasts exhibits including championship-winning cars from McLaren and Red Bull.

There are also a host of other cars on display, from the manufacturer’s foray into the sport in the 1960s to its time as an engine supplier to Lotus and Williams in the 1980s.

Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez was on hand to open the venue alongside Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato.