Grateful Barrichello sorry to miss pole

The Brawn GP driver set the pace in both Q1 and Q2, but was then outpaced by team-mate Jenson Button in the grid-deciding shootout.

Barrichello said his car developed understeer in the final session, and he was unable to push to the limit.

In the end, the Brazilian had to settle for second place, but he was delighted with the results following months of doubts about his future in F1.

"It has been a critical three or four months, waiting for news, so I am really, rally happy to be here," admitted Barrichello.

"I need to congratulate Ross (Brawn) and Nick (Fry) and everyone who has touched this car needs a credit because it is a really good car. So well done to the boys in England too.

"It has been a great day and I was hoping I could put the car on pole. The car was fantastic on low fuel but in Q3 I developed some understeer. We tried to add some wing but the car was still going understeer so it was difficult.

"The front row is a credit and we must be happy."

He added: "I was confident of getting pole position and in the first two sessions it was very nice. For some reason I got this understeer that slowed me down on fuel in Q3, but if anybody a month ago told me would you give 1,000 Dollars to be second in Melbourne, I would have given a little bit more. I have got to be happy, for sure."

Barrichello, the most experienced driver in F1 history, said he was as excited as a rookie as the Brawn GP team moved from the back to the front of the grid since last year.

"I feel younger than most of them - I've shown there is nothing veteran about myself. I speed up, I am all excited, grateful to have a good car. It has been tough the past few season so good to be back in a new car."