It seems that last year´s bad luck keeps sticked on Heikki. He finished two from five races so far, but he stays determined as we want him to be. This is what he said to the skysports.com server:

"I'm not wallowing in my own sorrow or being sad," Kovalainen insisted.

"To be honest, with everything that's happened, it's character building, and I would say my character is much stronger now.

"This season has been pretty tough as I've only finished two out of five races, so it's not been easy.

"In all the other races I've stopped early, so I've not experienced that kind of start to a season.

"So I just have to keep the self-belief, to stay strong, dig deep, keep motivated and keep the focus because it would be very easy to lose it and start blaming things.

"I have to move on, leave it behind and bounce back. I know when we improve the car, and get back on track, then we will be competitive again."
"This team can definitely turn it around. I have every belief in the team they can do that, but competition is tough and we've already made a lot of progress this season.

"I think people have forgotten just how much we've improved since the start of the season up until now.

"In Spain, it looked like we took a step backwards, but it was more a case that other people took a good step forward.

"We had taken those at other weekends, and we can't expect to take a big step all the time.

"Hopefully we'll have other upgrades coming, and we'll out-race other people with our developments and catch them up again.

"So I'm definitely not writing off the season, but I know I'll just have to maximise everything.

"Our target is to win, to become a champion again, and that's my target as well."

apparently mclaren wont have any significant uprgades till silverstone.

id like to see both mclarens at least in the points in monaco, the team need it what with all the other stuff going on behind the scenes.

heikki, please please please keep the car out of the wall.

I think McLaren will have both drivers in the points...
anyway they're going to introduce a new rear wing and more updates on the (now limited) bargeboards. The definitive diffuser is not yet ready.

Heikki was 4th and 7th in the two practice sessions, and Lewis 3rd and 2nd. I think McLaren is only behind BrawnGp and they can fight with Rosberg, Vettel and the Ferraris for a podium finish.

i hope to see a mclaren driver on the podium.

i mean i like to see a team get given a good fight fair and square, but to see both mclaren and ferrari floundering at the back of the grid.... its not nice to watch, its embarassing. its not a fight, its a rout.

i cant believe that i actually would like to see ferrari get some points this weekend.

I only hope McLaren can get points with both drivers...
I don't care about Ferrari...if they're behind McLaren that's good

its a shame mclaren haven't got many major upgrades for monaco...hopefully heikki will score some points on sunday

There are no really visible upgrades, but for example the new rear wing (with a hole in the middle) works well, as the new suspension.
The car (just since the upgrades of China and Bahrain) is well balanced in low-speed tracks, as Monaco... so I think that there won't be any problem in getting some points with both cars.

Heikki was 3rd this morning, and Lewis 7th.
Today McLaren, BrawnGp, Ferrari and Renault (only with Alonso) will compete for pole position. I think Red Bull is also competitive, but in these Free Practice sessions they weren't so fast....

Heikki quickest at the moment!

Heikki for pole!
Mostly so that when my dad comes back I can go 'Kovalainen... you know, the crap one'.

This is a very exciting session, but that is what Monao is known for.

Much as I wanted Kovy, my facebook status does say I would be happy with either Jenson or Kimi...
Jenson
One very happy British girl here

Lewis ruined his chances of getting a podium this season...
Heikki hopefully has more fuel than Kimi, Felipe and Nico...

Disaster for BMW and Toyota...

I'm still hoping that Alonso will be penalised.
And end up behind Piquet, that would be funny

Aren't we supposed to get the weights an hour after qualifying finishes?
They don't seem to have arrived yet...

Good result for Heikki. Not for Lewis.

I am sure Heikki is heavy, we'll check it in some minutes.

We haven't improved too much, it's just this track suits us very good, at least, much better than Montmeló.

Saturday is our weakest point this season, with this situation in another track, podiums would be a feasible target. It's Monaco, so what about a Top-5 for tomorrow?