Kovalainen: I go to Brazil to win!

Heikki Kovalainen has said that he will be gunning for victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix next weekend, as the 2008 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season comes to a close at the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo.

Kovalainen, who took his maiden win at the pinnacle of the sport in Hungary back in the summer, was compromised by mechanical issues in Japan and China, which led to two retirements in succession, and now the Finn will want to try and end his first season with McLaren-Mercedes on a high.

Heikki will have a crucial role to play as well, as not only is his team-mate, Lewis Hamilton currently on course to take the drivers' title - seven points up on Felipe Massa, but McLaren also remain in contention in the manufacturers', albeit eleven points behind the Scuderia.

"To win it, obviously!" he replied, when asked about his aims for the final race of the season.

"With the championship as it is, things are a little different going to Brazil. Clearly, I want to be able to help the team and Lewis wherever necessary - but the easiest way to do that is to be running at the front.

"The team knows I will play my part, but we are also targeting the constructors' championship. We may be 11 points behind Ferrari, but there are 18 points available in Brazil and we go into the final race still looking at securing both world titles - that has to be our aim."

As for his year overall, only his second in F1, which has seen him score points in ten races and notch up 51 points, he added that he thinks generally it has been a 'good season'.

Indeed he reckons the signs are all promising for 2009, when he hopes to be a lot stronger - and a lot closer to Hamilton.

"It didn't take too long to find where I wanted to be with the team, but it has taken longer to get used to the MP4-23. Sometimes I've pushed the set-up in the wrong direction but, over the year, I've found a better direction," he continued.

"I've been particularly pleased with my qualifying pace; even from the first race, I was competitive. Now I'm working hard to improve my knowledge of the tyres and everything is headed in the right direction.

"I've done a lot of learning throughout the year and I already feel much better prepared for next year. I now understand how to make the car fast and what I need to do to get the most out of it. I thought this year would be more difficult, but I feel I've done a good job," he summed-up.