Formula One new boy Heikke Kovalainen insists he will not wilt under the pressure of taking over the Renault hotseat vacated by double world champion Fernando Alonso.
The 25-year-old Finn is determined to take the new season race by race and resist any comparisons between himself and Alonso,who will drive for McLaren in 2007.
"It's not extra pressure - it is a great opportunity to be competitive in my first year, which very few drivers ever get. The team will be strong, and the car will be quick," said Kovalainen, who spent the 2006 season witnessing Alonso's talents at close range as Renault's test driver.
"I need to stay calm and have a cool head. The first races will not be easy and my philosophy will be to prepare for the worst.
"Maybe there will be some bad races, but I will focus on things one step at a time, finishing the first race, then the second and so on. There is always pressure, wherever you race.
"But I have never felt it has affected my driving, and I don't think it will next year either."
The Finn has had a smooth transition into the grand prix limelight as his position as the team's third driver in 2006 allowed him an early insight into the championship-winning team.
"I learned a lot, and especially in the final three grands prix when I stayed for the race," he said.
"I was able to listen to the radio, to be in all the debriefs, and see how the team and the drivers managed the situation. That was a really good experience, and it was impressive to see how the team reacted to the circumstances and how they bounced back in between China and Japan.
"It has been important to be with the team in those times, because I hope to be in a similar situation fighting for the title in the near future. And I now have some reference points."
