Jenson Button has revealed he feels "like a kid again" after putting the new Brawn Formula One car through its paces at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona, writes David Smith.

Button (right) and the Mercedes-powered Brawn was fourth fastest ahead of Nelson Piquet's Renault and the McLaren-Mercedes of Heikki Kovalainen.

It was an encouraging start for the new team, bought in a last-minute deal from Honda by technical expert Ross Brawn.

Button said: "This is like a fresh start. Getting in an F1 car again makes me feel like a kid, it's so exciting. I still have the hunger to achieve.

"I think ours is a good package considering how late in the day everything came together. I am very comfortable in the car and it reacts to changes, which is good.

"The people I'm working with are very focused on improving the car and moving us up the grid by the time we get to the first race."