Kovalainen pleased despite scares

The Finn skipped across the gravel trap on the way into the stadium on his first lap in Q3 and then ran wide across the grass at the final corner on his second effort.

Nevertheless, he still earned a place on the second row of the grid.

"Yeah, it was a good effort from everybody," said Kovalainen. "The car has been performing very well in the last four or five weeks and we have made some significant steps forward.

"The car has felt the best it's felt all week so far, and going into Q3 I was confident I could be challenging for pole.

"But arriving in Turn 12 on the first lap of Q3 I lost the rear end and went wide. I don't know what happened, it just turned in more suddenly than before. I think I damaged the car on the right hand underneath, because I saw it when I got out, although I didn't feel it when driving.

"On the second run also I had a bit of rallycross at the exit of the last turn. So third place I am very happy with, if you take into account those rallycross moments today."

With little to choose between the pace of Ferrari and McLaren at the moment, Kovalainen thinks his team need to push to the maximum to improve their car if they are to win the title.

"I think it is still very close," he explained. "One day they (Ferrari) are ahead and one day we are ahead. It depends how we nail it at the moment. Today, Lewis nailed it perfect and everyone else was struggling at various moments.

"The important thing for us is to keep focus and keep pushing 100 percent, trying to develop the car and package. That will be the key to being champion at the end of the year."