Button baffled by Barrichello's problems

Jenson Button has said he is baffled by the difficulties that teammate Rubens Barrichello is having with his Honda Racing car

While Button secured the first podium finish of his season to move into joint second-place in the title chase, Barrichello is still without points after gearbox problems in Bahrain and a lack on pace in Malaysia.

Barrichello was forced to switch to the spare car in Malaysia after an engine problem late in practice on Saturday, but he failed to deliver the kind of pace that third driver Anthony Davidson had shown in the car earlier in the weekend.

Button said he could not understand why his new teammate was having a hard time delivering the form that was expected of him after his move from Ferrari.

"That's a difficult one," said Button. "I think that the way the car works doesn't suit his style and he's taken a little bit of time to get used to it.

"The strange thing is that over the winter he was very competitive and it seems that when the conditions are hotter he is struggling a bit more with the car.

"It shows that the car is not where we wanted it to be or where we expected it to be for these first two races of the season and it shows we need to make steps forward in a couple of places."

Barrichello, whose troubled time in Malaysia was hampered by a stop-go penalty for speeding in the pitlane, said he hoped the situation would improve soon.

"It's certainly been an eventful weekend and it was disappointing to end it with a stop-go penalty when I was in with a chance of at least coming away with a few points," said the Brazilian.

"These past two races have been a bit of a learning curve but I'm sure things will pick up for the next few races and we can start to realise more of the car's potential."