Button aims to challenge for Bahrain win

"We want to be challenging for wins," said Button, who finished only ninth in the 2005 drivers' championship. "If you are going to try to be challenging for the championship and for wins during the year, you need to start at the first race, and that's Bahrain.

"We are more ready than we have been in any other year, so, to go to Bahrain, you have to say will be hoping to challenge for a win. We will be very disappointed if that isn't the case."

Both Button and teammate Rubens Barrichello are hoping they can lead their team to their first Grand Prix victory.

Honda, who had been in a partnership with BAR since 2000 but acquired a 100 percent shareholding last October, have put their team through an extensive programme of winter testing.

Since the end of November, the cars have completed 27,000 kilometres, with 14,700 kilometres in 18 days of running since the new RA106 car made its debut on January 25.

Throughout February, each of the team's two cars lapped well in excess of a race distance on each day of testing, with test driver Anthony Davidson alone doing 412 laps of the Valencia circuit in Spain in three days last week.

"The most important thing in winter testing is reliability and that's been very good with us this winter," added Button, who despite 12 podium finishes in 100 Grands Prix has yet to win a race.

"In Bahrain, we completed 4,500 kilometres which is unbelievable on a four-day test. It's been going well and we just can't wait for the first race now."

Barrichello, the 33-year-old Brazilian who has joined the team after six seasons with Ferrari, said that new regulations, which have seen the introduction of the less powerful V8 engine over the V10, will make a difference to this season's Grands Prix.

"The new V8 engine is a different engine to drive," he said. "It has less power, obviously, but it has some small issues with driveability.

"Everyone has, not just the Honda team. It's not just putting the power down because it has less power, it's a different engine to drive and I think it's the biggest change that we've had for the past five years, and it will require a different way of driving.

"But that's quite exciting as well, because at the end of the day, it's not just going down on the power and it makes it easier, it's going to be different."

BAR had a disappointing 2005, finishing sixth overall behind champions Renault after ending 2004 as runners-up to Ferrari. They were also banned for two races for a fuel and weight irregularity.