Lucky Heikki could be back for next race

Heikki Kovalainen does not have a single scratch or bruise to show for his terrifying 135mph crash during the Spanish Grand Prix.

Ron Dennis, the McLaren team chief who watched as Kovalainen's car speared off the track and buried itself in a barrier and wall of tyres, revealed today the full extent of the good fortune that will almost certainly see the 26-year-old Finn back for next week's Formula One race in Turkey.

Kovalainen, Lewis Hamilton's McLaren teammate, was airlifted by helicopter to the Hospital General de Catalunya in Sant Cugat, where he was detained for overnight observation.

But Dennis said: "Heikki's scans are completely clear. He is a little concussed but there is no damage, so at this very early stage we're quite optimistic about the next race."

Dennis believes the accident was caused by the sudden failure of the left front wheel.

"That wheel had only done 14 kilometres, so effectively it was a brand new wheel," said Dennis. "We can't say what caused it to fail until we've analysed all the pieces."

Despite the accident Dennis was bullish about McLaren's chances in Istanbul after Hamilton recovered well from his nightmare in Bahrain to finish third but nearly the length of the main straight behind the Ferrari's of defending world champion Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa.