Kovalainen has no doubts about returning to racing

McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen said he had no fears about returning to racing in this week's Turkish Grand Prix after his big crash in Spain last month.

"I want to get back to racing as soon as possible," the Finn said in a team preview. "Since the accident in Barcelona it has been my only focus.

"Everyone involved in the sport, the FIA in particular, is always working on improving safety for the drivers but Formula One is a risky business. You know that as a driver, but you don't think about it.

"If you worry about things like that, you lose focus. I guess it's just not in my psyche," said Kovalainen.

The 26-year-old was knocked unconscious in the crash at the Circuit de Catalunya last Sunday and spent the night in hospital under observation. He said afterwards that he had no recollection of the accident, in which his McLaren penetrated the tyre barrier at around 130kph.

Kovalainen, who will have a mandatory fitness test in Istanbul before being cleared to race, said he was feeling better and the stiffness in his neck had almost gone.

The Finn said he had left Spain on Thursday and returned to Finland to resume training.

Team-mate Lewis Hamilton joined him over the weekend for training.

"I can't wait to get back into the car and race with the team next weekend," said Kovalainen.

"But at the end of the day that decision is out of my hands, the FIA will make it based on safety grounds only."

McLaren chief executive Martin Whitmarsh said the team would organise a full neurological examination for the driver before he starts to practise again.