Button: 'Maybe Hamilton thinks his career is over'

Lewis Hamilton himself will have been one of the last to predict that after seven Formula One races he would be in sixth place in the championship. So far, his new teammate George Russell is doing better, and according to Jenson Button, there is a clear explanation for this.

According to the 2009 World Champion, Hamilton is simply not used to the current scenario. "I think the big change for Lewis is driving a car that is not competitive," Button stated on Virgin Radio 's The Chris Evans Breakfast Show.

Button understands why Russell is doing better at Mercedes

Button points to the fact that Hamilton has been competing for the championship every year since 2014, while Russell, on the other hand, is used to driving a poorly performing car. "Because of that, it's given him [Russell] confidence and he can push a bit harder," the Briton continued.

He suspects that Hamilton, meanwhile, lacks confidence in the car, which may prevent him from getting the most out of it. "When you've had a few bad races, it hurts mentally," Button explained.

According to the former Formula One driver, that doesn't mean Hamilton can't be competitive again, but he has to want to. "And that's the thing: maybe he thinks his career is over and he wants to go and do something else," Button stated. Should that not be the case, he is confident that his compatriot can start winning races again.