From GMM

Heikki Kovalainen has hit back at critics who believe his F1 career is fading after just three seasons.

"I don't really care what people think," the 28-year-old, hailed as a future superstar in 2004 when he famously beat Michael Schumacher to the Race of Champions title, is quoted as saying by the British newspaper The Sun.

After two years alongside Lewis Hamilton at McLaren, and an earlier campaign with Renault, the Finn has moved for 2010 to the new team Lotus.

At McLaren, he won a single race compared with Hamilton's seven, but suggests that his reputation as a poor racer is not a true reflection of his talents.

Kovalainen admits he "didn't get the best out of McLaren", adding: "I don't think there are any areas I particularly need to improve.

"Some people think I'm a good qualifier and not such a good racer, but that has only been while I was at McLaren.

"If you look at my time at Renault in 2007, the race performances were actually very strong," Heikki Kovalainen said.