Button: BAR Need to Improve Race Pace

Jenson Button achieved his aim with a points-scoring sixth place in the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday but warned his BAR-Honda team they must rapidly improve their race pace if they want to catch the top teams this year.

Briton Button put in some astonishing laps over the winter in the new Michelin-shod BAR 006 machine and looked to have made a significant leap forward towards challenging the frontrunners.

BAR-Honda boss David Richards was so convinced by his team's impressive pre-season form that he staked some of his personal fortune on Button and teammate Takuma Sato for victory in Melbourne.

But the two drivers were a long way from achieving that sort of result as Ferrari, Renault and Williams-BMW all outpaced them. But Button, who finished more than a minute behind race winner Michael Schumacher, remained satisfied with his performance.

"I scored points, three points, and it is a good start," said an upbeat Button. "I have never scored points here before. We need to improve our race pace but this was the first time we ran with Michelins in race trim.

"We had a slight problem on the second pit stop where they couldn't get the nozzle off and Ralf got past me in the pit stop then Montoya got past. But the Williams were quite a lot quicker than us."

So, too, were Ferrari, who were using the Bridgestone tyres that BAR-Honda chose to drop in favour of rivals Michelin at the end of last season. Briton Button, however, still believes the tyre switch was the right decision.

"Ferrari were quick here last year and things changed in Malaysia where it is very hot so we will have to wait and see," added Button. "This is still a great start to the season."