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Button Still Angry over Malaysia

Jenson Button has said that he is no less angry with his BAR-Honda team over his embarrassing early exit from the Malaysian Grand Prix - although he is confident his bosses have reacted positively to his criticism

The Briton hit out at BAR and engine supplier Honda live on television after he stopped on the third lap of the Malaysian Grand Prix - claiming the team had moved 'backwards in every area' this year.

Speaking in Bahrain ahead of this weekend's third round of the Championship, Button admitted that maybe he should not have been so publicly critical of the team but made it clear some of his comments needed to have been said.

"When you look at it now, then maybe I shouldn't have been as outspoken as I was," explained Button. "But I was - and still am - angry and frustrated about what happened, because the car felt so quick on the day and we should have been on the podium.

"But I think my comments were taken in the right way by the team, who understood how frustrated I was and how much I want us all to do a good job.

"I've always been quite outspoken within the team about what I need as a driver, and the team always responds to that. But this time, as the senior driver, I felt I needed to be even more assertive.

"But Honda has been very supportive about what I said and know why I said it, and I have every faith in them to bounce back from this because they are normally very successful in problem-solving."

The engine problems that Button and then teammate Anthony Davidson suffered in Malaysia are understood to have been the result of a poorly-designed oil sensor - which was quickly fixed by Honda.

Button is hoping that with that specific issue behind him, and the BAR 007 having shown good pace during its brief outing in the Malaysian Grand Prix, then the team can join the hunt for podium finishes this time out.

"I am sure we have sorted out these problems with the new car and in Bahrain you will see our true potential," he claimed. "If we have reliability and have a good start this weekend, we should be up there with McLaren and Williams and putting the pressure on Renault.

"But it is imperative we show some form, because if we get back to Europe and the Imola race and we still haven't scored any points, we could face a long hard season."

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