RACE RESULT 1 M Schumacher (Ferrari) 2 R Barrichello (Ferrari) 3 F Alonso (Renault) 4 R Schumacher (Williams) 5 JP Montoya (Williams) 6 J Button (BAR) 7 J Trulli (Renault) 8 D Coulthard (McLaren) Race result in full

The BAR driver, who began from fourth, said: "I've scored three points. It's a good start to the season.

"We've obviously got to work on our race pace a little more, but this was the first time we have raced with the Michelin tyres so it wasn't too bad.

"We have some areas to work on. We have a lot of information so we know what to do for [the next race] in Malaysia."

Race in pictures

Button admitted he was "a little disappointed" to drop down from his grid position.

But he added that his result was "not bad".

"It is a big change from last season. Now we are a little bit unhappy with being slower than the Williams, whereas last year we were way off," said Button.

"To get three points in the first race is great. There were only two races during the season that I got more than three points last year.

I think you are going to see Jenson highly competitive for the whole season now BAR boss David Richards

"If we can do that consistently during the season we are looking pretty strong, but we expect more over the next few races."

BAR boss David Richards said Button's sixth place and Takuma Sato's ninth represented a "solid" start to the season.

He added: "As the Japanese reporters said to me: 'This is a different team this year. A year ago you would all be patting yourselves on the back and cheerful and happy having got three points in the first race of the year'.

"Over the winter we felt we were on a similar pace to Williams. I think this indicates that is the case.

"It is a great result from Jenson's point of view. Jenson has come on leaps and bounds and I think you are going to see Jenson highly competitive for the whole season now.

"It is a good combination, the two of them, and I think you will see Taku come on during the season. It is a very solid base, very solid indeed."