Heikki Kovalainen has confirm🐷ed that he requires open-heart surgery due to a proꦫblem with his aorta.

The former F1 driver has been diagnosed w𝐆ith ascending aortic ane🎃urysm.

It🌺 is a condition which means Kovalainen is not suffering any symp🤡toms. But a medical test before a rallying event revealed that he had an issue.

The condition is a bulge in the artery closest to the heart. If untreated it can rupture which would𒊎 be life-threatening.

Kovalainen, now 42, told : "At the end of last season, I decided to have a 💧thorough physical examination at the doctor.

"The idea was 💮to check that no bigger problem was found, but then this was revealed.

"It's a ♉hereditary disease that I can't do anything about. It's good that it was discov⭕ered now. 

"Usually, this problem is asymptomatic, except when it fi༺rst occurs."

Kovalainen is now a rally c♑ar driver who has put on hold his plans to enter the 2024 Japanese Rally Championship.

From 2007 to 201💫3 he raced in Formula 1, racking up 112 entri💞es.

The 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix was his sole v⛦ictory.

He ౠwas the teammate of Lewis Hamilton at McLaren in ౠ2008.

Kovalai𓆉nen also drove for Renault, Team Lotus, Caterham and Lotus F1.