Jenson Button firmly believes he made the right call in re-signing for McLaren despite the woes currently being endured by the team . Button and team-mate Kevin Magnussen - standing in for the absent Fernando Alonso - will start Sunday 's Australian Grand Prix from the back row of the grid in 17th and 18th positions respectively . Whilst not McLaren 's lowest grid slots , in terms of performance and how far they are off the pace compared with the leading cars , it is the team 's worst qualifying performance in their 49-year history . Jenson Button is pictured with his model wife Jessica ahead of Saturday 's qualifying session . The Briton endured a miserable day at the office and was eliminated from qualifying in Q1 . Button was the best part of six seconds slower than reigning champion Lewis Hamilton , who went on to clinch the 39th pole position of his Formula One career . Button , who signed a new two-year deal with McLaren in December after he was kept waiting months on a decision as to whether he would be retained , has every faith McLaren and new power-unit supplier Honda will get it right . The 35-year-old , however , has warned it will take time as he said : 'When I re-signed I was thinking long term . We 're all thinking long term . 'It 's unfair for us to sit here now and be harsh on anyone because this is a massive learning curve for us . 'This could be something great in the future , and that 's what we need in the sport , someone to challenge Mercedes out front , and I really do think this is the team that can do that . Button insists McLaren have the tools to challenge Lewis Hamilton 's Mercedes in the future . Button and team-mate Kevin Magnussen will start from the final row of the grid in Melbourne tomorrow . ' I know we 're a long way off right now , but it was always going to be very difficult . 'It 's tough times and it 's going to be for many weeks , but that is what is going to make us stronger in the future and hopefully build us into a winning team . 'Just do n't expect us to gain two seconds at the next race , and then another two seconds . It 's not going to be like that , but you will see progress . ' Racing director Eric Boullier has confirmed McLaren and Honda know where the issues lie , and are working as fast as possible to rectify them . 'Actually we have fewer issues this weekend than we had in testing , which is the good news , we have made some progress , ' said Boullier . 'Yes , there is a fix in place and we are working on a recovery plan , but as to time we do n't know . 'We just want to do our best to recover as quickly as possible . ' Button signed a two-year deal with McLaren which takes him through until the end of next season . Lewis Hamilton will start the Australian Grand Prix from pole ahead of Nico Rosberg and Felipe Massa ( right )
Jenson Button and team-mate Kevin Magnussen will start from many weeks . Button was six seconds slower than Lewis Hamilton who clinched pole . But Briton insists McLaren do have the tools to challenge Mercedes . He cites McLaren-Honda partnership as a 'long-term ' project .