Saturday 10 May at 11:12 : Heikki Kovalainen on Friday insisted he felt no ill effects after returning to the wheel of his McLaren cockpit for the first time since his huge Barcelona crash.

"I feel exactly the same as I did on the Friday in Barcelona," the Finnish driver said after the three hours of official practice at Istanbul Park.

"I feel a 100 per cent fit, no issues at all."

Kovalainen, 26, was cleared to race by FIA medical officials at the Istanbul Park circuit on Thursday, after passing the mandatory neurological tests with flying colours.

"It is a combination of tests and calculations," he revealed, adding that all rookies must sit the exam prior to their grand prix debuts.

"Basically they check how your brain and body is working and the reactions.

"I did the test here and improved the score (from 2007), so the impact seems to have had a good effect," Kovalainen joked.