Jenson Button has offered his predictions for the upcoming Formula 1 season

Former Formula 1 driver and 2009 world champion Jenson Button has had his say on the coming season at the pinnacle of motorsport, and reckons Mercedes remain the team to beat as things stand.

A new era of Formula 1 is upon us with new-look cars devised by the FIA and Formula 1 to try and generate closer, more exciting racing.

Indeed, it’s going to be fascinating to see which garages have got it right in terms of applying the new rules and which have got it wrong, with the obvious opportunity for a shake-up of the field presenting itself because of that.

Even so, Button still finds it hard to look past Mercedes as favourites for the coming year, with him tipping the likes of Ferrari and McLaren to at least be closer than in 2021:

“I have to say Mercedes [are favourites,]” Button told Sky Sports.

“I think Red Bull were strong last year, but throughout the season Mercedes got closer and closer and they overtook them on outright pace.

“We all know to beat Mercedes you have to be faster than them as they don’t make mistakes as a team.

“I think Mercedes and then it’s the fight between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, which I really cannot wait for. Two Brits in Mercedes cars fighting for a World Championship, hopefully.”

Button was then asked about which teams behind last year’s top two could join them at the front, to which he said:

“Well, they are all superpowers in F1, they have all won championships in F1.

“Ferrari are the one who made the biggest step forward, I would say, so possibly Ferrari with their great driver line-up.

“But then again, so does McLaren and I think it’s a really exciting team. I was with them in a peak and then it dropped away and now it’s great to see them come fighting back to be at the front.

“Th