Improving Hamilton urges caution

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Lewis Hamilton has warned there will be no quick fix for his McLaren team's problems despite an improved showing at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday.

The world champion achieved his best result of the season with fourth place but said the McLaren was still "a long way behind" the leading cars.

"I'm delighted, considering we started fifth, but it was just so hard to keep up with the guys," he said.

"Brawn and Toyota are so quick in the fast corners it was impossible for me."

McLaren were much more competitive in Bahrain than they had been at other venues this year.But that was partly down to the configuration of the circuit - the Sakhir track does not have many of the high-speed corners that expose the McLaren's lack of aerodynamic downforce.

"When you're behind people you learn a lot," said Hamilton, who spent portions of the race chasing Toyota's Jarno Trulli and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel.

"It's fairly difficult to follow someone who has a lot more downforce than you. From Turn 4 onwards they lose me. It's just on the ragged edge each time.

"We're not really fighting back up there. We have just done a better job than a lot of people. While they make mistakes we are just collecting the points. We are still a long way behind with the car."

McLaren have a major update to the car for the next race in Spain on 10 May - as will all the other leading teams.

Despite that, both Hamilton and team boss Martin Whitmarsh said they expected to be further behind the pace-setters at the Barcelona track.