Jenson Button believes Nico Rosberg will rise above his team-mate Lewis Hamilton’s attempts to distract him and play with his mind.
The McLaren driver said he’s witnessed the 2008 champion’s mind games first hand when he partnered Hamilton at McLaren and he expects Hamilton will do the same to Rosberg in an attempt to get the upper hand.
“I am sure there will – if there aren’t already – be mind games going on. There were a few things he played on me,” Button told BT Sport.
“It would work on some drivers, whereas others it just makes them stronger because they laugh it off.
“Nico is intelligent to know if Lewis is playing mind games or not, which in some ways could help Nico or harm him. He might just end up getting fed up with it.”
Some believe Hamilton has already begun doing so after he claimed Rosberg had been quicker in both Bahrain and Spain despite coming second to the Briton at both.
Meanwhile Button is certain Mercedes will treat both equally, not just to appease the pair, but for the good of the sport.
“The thing is with that team is because they are going to walk away with it – I know we are only five races in, but they have such a big lead – they’re not going to favour just one driver.
“They will let their drivers race because they need to keep the show going, and we need them to keep the show going and let both drivers race.”
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