Highlights - Australian Grand Prix

Jenson Button admits McLaren do not currently have the pace to beat their Formula 1 rivals on a regular basis.

The world champion came from fourth on the grid to triumph at the Australian Grand Prix, despite driving a slower car than the Red Bulls and Ferraris.

"We're not in the position to go to the next two or three races and walk away with victories" said the Englishman.

"Outright pace in qualifying is something we're lacking, so it's an area we desperately need to work on."

Button and team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who finished sixth in Australian after an eventful race, have been more than a second off the pace of pole position man Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull in qualifying for both grands prix so far this season.

Win feels pretty special - Button

And after qualifying fourth in Melbourne Button conceded McLaren's pace compared to their rivals was "not there". Hamilton had to settle for 11th on the grid.

Vettel looked to to be on course for victory in Australia before a wheel problem saw him retire on lap 26.

Before the German ploughed into the gravel Button had climbed to second but that owed more to the Englishman's decision to switch to dry-weather slick tyres early in the race than his outright pace.

Button was protected from the faster Ferrari of world championship leader Fernando Alonso - who finished fourth - because the Spaniard, climbing up the field after a first-lap spin demoted him to last - could not pass team-mate Felipe Massa, who was in turn stuck behind Renault's Robert Kubica.

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And despite finishing 12 seconds clear of the field to seal a fine win, Button questioned whether McLaren would be capable of challenging for another victory at this Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix.

"We've got to enjoy this moment and think that we've got some good points when we're not the quickest," said Button, referring to his haul of 25 points and Hamilton's return of eight for finishing sixth.

"When you can get good points finishes like this it really does mean a lot to you when you don't have a car that you think is quick enough to win races every weekend.

"We've got to work on the areas where we think we're weak."

His views were echoed by Hamilton.

our car is fast and it seems to be reliable; now we need to work on single-lap pace - and the sooner the better Lewis Hamilton

"It's true, in both Bahrain and Australia we've felt more comfortable with our race pace than the pace we showed in qualifying," Hamilton said.

"And while that's encouraging, it's become clear that we need to improve our qualifying pace if we're to have a regular shot at winning races: it's all very well being quick in the race, but if you can't make up places from your grid position, then your race is still going to be a struggle.

"We can take home the positives: our car is fast, much faster than it was this time last year, and it seems to be reliable, now we need to work on single-lap pace - and the sooner the better."

But 30-year-old Button - who is third in the championship, six points behind Alonso - did point out that not everything rested on pace, hailing his win as a strategical triumph.

"I don't know where we would stand in general pace but it's not what all racing is about," he explained. "It's about strategy, it's about thinking and it's about conserving.

Whitmarsh hails Button's bravery

"We did it correctly and came away with a good victory. This is very special. Whatever happens over the next few races it means a lot to me to be in this position right now.

"After being with one team for seven years and clinching the title and here, after two races, getting a victory is very special to me."

The excitement of Melbourne went some way to silencing those who criticised F1 in the wake of an uneventful race in Bahrain which featured minimal overtaking.

Button said Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit should make for another intriguing spectacle in round three.

"I think we can have a great race and especially in somewhere like Malaysia where it's wide, it's open, you can overtake," he added.

"I think we can have a really exciting race, but here (Melbourne) you're a little bit limited to overtaking, so I'm surprised there was so much."

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