McLaren expect Ferrari to bounce back

"I think every Grand Prix team experiences difficult weekends," Dennis told reporters after the race.

"They have got a lot of depth and we are under no illusions that they will come back and will be very competitive in Malaysia and the rest of the season.

"All we can do is try and stay focused on our own efforts and that is what we will do.

"In the end it is a good weekend for the team, and the most enjoyable part is our pace. We had a lot of pace, but we know the circuits coming up are going to be different.

"But I think we will be strong," added the Briton.

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton dominated the race from the start, going on to clinch his fifth Formula One victory.

The British team looked set for a one-two in Melbourne, but Finn Heikki Kovalainen was hindered by a late safety car period and had to settle for fifth.

Ferrari, meanwhile, endured their worst start to a season since 2002, with both Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa retiring with engine problems.

Despite their dominant showing, Dennis warned that it is still too early to judge the pace of their rivals.

"I think even if the next two races we maintain the competitiveness, the true strengths of everybody's cars will not be known until Barcelona. Between now and then we are making cars faster."