Button: McLaren will be stronger in Oz

Button and team-mate Lewis Hamilton struggled to match the form of Red Bull Racing and Ferrari at Sakhir - as their MP4-25 had difficulties coping with the slow-speed first section of the circuit and the bumpy Turn 6.

Button went on to finish in a distant seventh position, while Hamilton fared better and finished in third.

But despite the performance gap that appeared in Bahrain, Button believes that the next race in Melbourne will deliver a very different picture - especially with the track demanding downforce characteristics that will be more suited to the McLaren.

"It is a circuit that will suit the downforce level of our car more," said Button during the launch of the new McLaren MP4-12C road car in Woking on Thursday.

"The layout of Bahrain was changed very late and that didn't suit us too much. I am really looking forward to Melbourne. It is circuit that has treated me well in the past and one that I really enjoy."