Istanbul - McLaren driver Heikki Kovalainen has been cleared by doctors to race in the Turkish Grand Prix.

The 26-year-old Finn was given a green light for Sunday’s race after undergoing medical checks by governing body FIA on Thursday, following his violent crash at the preceding Spanish GP.

A wheel rim failure caused a tire on Kovalainen’s car to explode and send him barreling into a wall at high speed. The crash left him in a hospital overnight with slight injuries, including a concussion. His return is a boost to McLaren, which aims to snap Ferrari’s three-race win streak. - AP