Button tips Hamilton to end performance dip

Jun.17 (GMM) Jenson Button has backed former teammate Lewis Hamilton to bounce back strongly after finding his feet at Mercedes.

Since 2010, the pair were teammates at McLaren, where Hamilton began his F1 career, won the 2008 title, and solidified his reputation as one of the very best on the grid.

But since moving to Mercedes, the Briton has had his hands full alongside his former karting teammate Nico Rosberg, who in the three previous seasons even had the edge on seven time world champion Michael Schumacher.

Button, however, is tipping Hamilton to hit back strongly.

"To be fair, he has already scored significantly more points than Nico," lead McLaren driver Button told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

"Lewis is incredibly fast," the 2009 world champion added.

"But the same is as true for him as it is for the rest of us -- if he doesn't have a balance in the car that suits him, that he got used to over many years, then it's not easy.

"The other side is that Nico is also fast. But Lewis has not lost his speed. It's still there," Button added.

"He will come back and shock everybody."