Jenson Button has admitted feeling sorry for Lewis Hamilton after watching his former team-mate’s Formula One world title hopes suffer a string of crushing blows.
Button, though, does feel the battle for the championship has become “spicy” following the warfare that has unfolded between Hamilton and Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.
Button has been left amazed by Hamilton’s appalling run, with events on Sunday at Spa following his brake-disc failure in Germany and car fire in Hungary, both during qualifying at those races.
“I feel for Lewis, he was leading the race. It is unbelievable,” said Button, who partnered Hamilton at McLaren for three years from 2010- 2012.
“I’ve never seen such bad luck, or misjudgement on other people’s part, for Lewis to lose so many points over a period of races.
“It’s astonishing, really. I’ve never seen that before, especially when you have a car that is so dominant and they should be first and second every race.
“It is just a matter of fighting it out and beating your team-mate, although I know that takes its toll.
“But for me Lewis has come across really well in the media after some disappointing races. He has definitely grown as an individual, which is good to see, and has taken it on the chin.
“Hopefully it will build his confidence for the rest of the season rather than shatter it.”
The veteran 34-year-old has been left perplexed by Rosberg’s attempt to overtake Hamilton, adding: “There was nothing there. There was no move. I think any driver would look at it now, and I am sure Nico will look at it and say, ‘I don’t know, what was I thinking’.”