Cockpit error costs Kovalainen fourth

Kovalainen passed the double world champion for fourth at the end of the penultimate lap, after the McLaren driver's final pitstop came at the wrong end of the safety car period to clear Timo Glock's accident, costing him track position and an almost certain second position.

But then, with fourth seemingly in the bag, the Finn slowed dramatically on the pit straight.

"The Safety Car had us over this time, but anyway we maximised our efforts after that and I managed to pass Fernando, but then I just accidentally hit the pitlane speed limiter on the straight as I was trying to take my tear-off visor off," he told UK broadcaster ITV.

"I had got inside him [Alonso], he tried to give me a bit of a squeeze, but I made a move and after that I was pretty well in control.

"But coming down the straight I went for the tear-off because it was full of oil and I couldn't see anything, and I accidentally hit the pitlane speed limiter with my right fist."

The Alonso battle was not Kovalainen's only run in with a world champion in Melbourne. He also successfully defended a hard-charging Kimi Raikkonen in the first half of the race, forcing an error from the Ferrari driver.

Then in a later dice that featured both Alonso and Raikkonen, he passed his compatriot fair and square.

"The team never requires me to play any special roles against anyone, it was my own role to defend from Kimi," he said when asked if he was playing a rear-gunner role for race-winner Lewis Hamilton.

"When I have car behind me I always defend if I have to, regardless of who it is, and after the first stop Kimi was behind me. I had to defend and he made a mistake. Then towards the end of the race I managed to pass him."

Despite a disappointing end to a chaotic race for Kovalainen, the Finn claimed to have taken confidence from his pace over the weekend having set the fastest lap of the race.

"I hope to have a good race next weekend in Malaysia, that's got to be the target," he said. "All weekend we have taken it fairly easy, without any extra pressure of trying to be the fastest and win the race. Just take it as it comes and when the car feels I can push, I push a bit more, and when it doesn't, I back off.

"This has worked very well and I am sure over the year I will get stronger and stronger. The in the team spirit is very high and everyone is very motivated. I think our team looks different from last year.

"Everybody feels happy and I think even if sometimes we won't win the race we will keep pushing and we will keep working towards the goal at the end."