Formula One world champion Jenson Button expects a big improvement at next week's Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne following his McLaren debut. Button, who won the 2009 championship with Brawn GP, finished in seventh place more than 6 seconds behind winner Fernando Alonso at Sunday's season opener in Bahrain. Button got stuck behind Michael Schumacher for the last 15 laps and was unable to find a way past the record seven-time world champion, The Briton finished four places behind teammate Lewis Hamilton. “It didn't go as well as I would have liked, with the finish,” Button said. “But it was good to get points on the board.” Button and Hamilton met with team engineers Tuesday to dissect the race and Button said there was “lots of room for improvement on the car.” Speaking Thursday at the launch of a range of commercial McLaren sports cars, Button and Hamilton agreed the Australian circuit would suit their cars better than the remodeled Bahrain track. Button said the team's choice of tires was one of the reasons for its disappointing showing in Bahrain where Alonso's teammate, Felipe Massa, finished second. The 30-year-old won the Australian GP last year, and has finished on five of his other 10 visits despite often driving for unfancied teams that have had little time to hone cars for the early season race. “It's always treated me well in the past so I look forward to it,” Button said. Hamilton agreed that McLaren is well-placed to improve at the March 28 race. The 2008 world champion said the drivers had “drilled into the engineers that we dissect everything and take a step in the right direction.” McLaren Automotive has announced plans to build a range of high-performing sports cars in Britain, creating 300 direct jobs. The carmaker plans to begin production from spring 2011 at its $21.4 million production plant in Woking, south of London. The cars will use Formula One technology. The first models of the car - the MP4-12C - will go on sale in late 2011 costing around 150,000 pounds.
