Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton have no qualms about racing each other for title

The British duo will share the front row for a second race in succession in Malaysia, with Button having won in Australia, where Hamilton finished third.

Asked if he thought racing his polesitting team-mate into the first corner on Sunday would be tough, Button said he expected it to he something they would get used to if their current form continued.

"I don't think it's hard, we've been close together a lot over the last couple of years so you know, as long as we are both qualifying well this isn't going to happen in just this race and the last one," said Button.

"We are going to be fighting each other a lot. But that's what we've been doing for most of our lives and we're pretty good at it.

"We both obviously want to get into Turn 1 first, but it's not just about Turn 1 this race, it's a very long tough race. And it might not even be us, it might be Michael [Schumacher] that gets the jump on us."

Hamilton was equally sanguine about the prospect of a tight season-long battle with Button, who got the jump on him at the start in Melbourne last week.

"It's not the first time I've been in this position," said Hamilton. "Obviously when I was racing with Fernando [Alonso] that was massively challenging and anytime you have a quick team-mate who is consistent both in qualifying and also in the race and is hungrier than ever, you have just got to be able to match it or do better.

"Jenson has done a fantastic job so far and I have just got to continue to push him as he will continue to push me. What will be, will be."