Kovalainen's return to F1 coincides with discussions between tiresupplier Pirelli and the sport's chief Bernie Ecclestone about the possibility of running young drivers on a new tire compound in first practice to give them vital experience in F1.
The admission of the inadequacy of the testing will increase the pressure on Pirelli, who were tasked in 2011 -- when they took on the sole supplier role -- with designing a less durable tire in order to force more pit stops and so create more unpredictable racing.