Button: McLaren not yet at our maximum

Jenson Button is convinced there is more to come from McLaren after he concluded his Formula One pre-season with the team.

Button finished the third day of the final test at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona third quickest with a lap of 1:21.450, finishing 0.764secs adrift of Mercedes' Nico Rosberg.

For Button, that is it now until the opening practice session on March 12 of the curtain-raising grand prix to the new season in Bahrain, with team-mate Lewis Hamilton due to complete testing on Sunday for the Woking-based marque.

The reigning World Champion, though, who has only had a handful of days in the McLaren cockpit to acclimatise, is delighted so far.

"Out of the box, with a new package, to be as consistent as we are and the pace we have, I am happy," said Button.

"I don't think we are at our maximum yet. Our long run pace, I am happy with, but there is still room for improvement for sure.

"We are not getting the best out of the package we have, and that is what we have to do tomorrow."

Asked to assess McLaren's rivals, he added: "It is difficult.

"I think the Sauber is going to surprise a few people. I think it is quicker than most people think and I think they will be up there at the first race.

"So there could be five or six teams who are competitive, but it is still all a bit of a guessing game at the moment, and it will be until we qualify on Saturday in Bahrain.

"That is exciting I think. It is great for the sport, and I think it is exciting for the fans of F1, and all of us involved, because we don't really know what is going to happen."

On a day disrupted by rain early on, Rosberg's eventual best lap of a mammoth 128 he drove today, a 1:20.686, was the second quickest of the three days to date.

The German finished a comfortable 0.764secs clear of the Toro Rosso of Sebastien Buemi, followed by Button, Rubens Barrichello in his Williams and Ferrari's Felipe Massa.

Like Button, Rosberg is content, but also knows more can be done prior to the race in Bahrain.

"It's still early days so I'm very optimistic at the moment," said the German.

"That's my attitude and how I'm pushing forward. I feel confident in the car, very comfortable, which is a nice feeling for myself.

"I can really attack and it feels good to drive. So I think it's a good base that we can build upon."

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