F1 News: Heikki Kovalainen Faces Open Heart Surgery
Former Formula 1 driver Heikki Kovalainen has revealed he requires open-heart surgery to address a potentially life-threatening condition.
Key takeaways:
- Kovalainen has been diagnosed with ascending aortic aneurysm, a bulge in the artery closest to the heart.
- The condition, if left untreated, can lead to a rupture and fatal consequences.
- The Finnish driver will undergo surgery, putting his plans for the 2024 Japanese Rally Championship on hold.
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The 42-year-old Finn, who won the 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix during his F1 career, shared the news of his health condition with Finnish publication Iltalehti. Kovalainen disclosed that a routine medical examination before a rallying event unveiled the alarming diagnosis.
"At the end of last season, I decided to have a thorough physical examination at the doctor," Kovalainen said. "The idea was to check that no bigger problem was found, but then this was revealed."
Ascending aortic aneurysm is a hereditary condition that causes an abnormal bulge in the aorta, the main artery carrying blood away from the heart. If left untreated, the aneurysm can rupture, leading to life-threatening internal bleeding.
"The idea was to check that no bigger problem was found, but then this was revealed.
"It's a hereditary disease that I can't do anything about. It's good that it was discovered now.
"Usually, this problem is asymptomatic, except when it first occurs."
Kovalainen, who transitioned to rallying after his F1 career, acknowledged that the diagnosis has temporarily halted his plans to compete in the upcoming Japanese Rally Championship while he undergoes the necessary surgical procedure.
The Finnish driver spent seven seasons in Formula 1, competing for teams such as McLaren, Renault, Team Lotus, Caterham, and Lotus F1 between 2007 and 2013.
Kovalainen's F1 journey began in 2007 with Renault, before joining McLaren in 2008 as a teammate to the then-rookie Hamilton. Despite the Hungarian GP win, Kovalainen often found himself in Hamilton's shadow. After leaving McLaren, he had stints with backmarker teams like Caterham and Lotus before retiring from F1 in 2013 to pursue rallying.