Button claims pole as Brawn GP dominate

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Four months ago Honda Racing opted to pull out of Formula One, and it appeared as if Button and team-mate Rubens Barrichello were staring at a bleak future.

But a management buy-out, led by their technical genius in Ross Brawn, spared the team from disappearing out of the sport altogether and - in one of the most remarkable turnarounds in sporting history - the Brawn GP duo will start from the front row.

As for Hamilton, after just scraping out of the opening 20-minute run by a mere 0.049 seconds, a drivetrain failure prevented him from taking to Melbourne's Albert Park track, on which he won last year, for Q2.

The 24-year-old will start from 18th after he initially qualified 15th but was given a five place grid penalty for changing his gearbox, and moved to the back. However, Toyota's Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli, who had qualified sixth and eighth, were then sent to the back of the grid after their upper rear wings were found to contravene regulations, moving Hamilton up two spots.

Button hailed an "amazing" turnaround following a largely bleak winter for the Brackley-based team.

"The last five or six months for both of us have been so tough. Going from not having a drive or any future in racing to putting on pole here is just amazing, it really is," he said.

"I've got to give all credit to the team for making this happen. This is where we deserve to be after the tough times we've had."

Button, 29, beat Barrichello by a comfortable three tenths of a second after little had separated them previously. It gives him the fourth pole of his career, and puts him on course for only his second victory in what would be 154 grands prix.

Sebastian Vettel starts a fine third on his debut for Red Bull, with Robert Kubica also performing superbly for BMW Sauber - the Pole joining the young German on the second row.