Button admits blame for Barrichello brush

Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello had a coming together on the 23rd lap as the Briton was rejoining the race following a pitstop.

As a consequence of the incident, Button lost his front wing and was forced to pit. Barrichello, who said he had left enough room for Button, managed to continue in the race and finish in tenth.

"A better race today in terms of our overall performance and the handling of the car but we just don't have the pace to improve our final position significantly," he said. "I had left Jenson enough room at turn one, it's a shame but just one of those racing incidents.

"We have the four-day test at Paul Ricard this week and I hope we can see another small step forward by Monaco."

Button, who finished 12th, admitted he had been at fault.

"Unfortunately, as I exited the pitlane after my first stop, I hit the kerb on the apex and that threw me offline," he said.

"I lost my front wing as I touched the right rear of Rubens' car and I had to come back in for a nose change and that was that really in terms of fighting for a point."

The Japanese squad, yet to score this season, saw the Honda-powered Super Aguri team take their maiden point after Takuma Sato came home in eighth position.