Barrichello: Next test critical for Honda

With the Brazilian managing no better than 18th on the grid for this afternoon's German Grand Prix, four places behind teammate Jenson Button, he is pushing for more progress.

"We're driving so much on the limit of the car and over the limit of the car," said Barrichello. "My perfect lap would have been the same as Jenson, but from there on we're very limited.

"You can see people improve by half a second into the second session but we improve a couple of tenths. We need a major improvement in the test next week in the mechanical suspension and the aero efficiency otherwise we'll spend the rest of the season waiting for rain."

Barrichello believes the urgency to make improvements is increased because of how competitive the midfield is in Formula One at the moment.

"Basically it's just too close," he said. "There's nothing wrong as such - I was having a difficult qualifying for different reasons than I've ever experienced before.

"I had the grip on the first lap but didn't have the balance. On the second lap I had less grip but a better balance. You run out of time when you have situations like that.

"I had to use three sets of tyres and it's not very certain you're going to improve on the second lap because you do have less grip. The car is so much on the edge that you if you don't get it right you miss out."

Button said the first part of the car updates tried out in Hockenheim testing last week were encouraging, but he is not expecting a miraculous step forward for Hungary.

"Some of the things we tested here last week were good," he said. "We're looking forward to Hungary but we are not going to suddenly give us half a second at Hungary. It's positive that it's moving forward. We have improved the car and I think we can race a bit better."