Intelligent Button winning battle with Hamilton - Brawn

It is Jenson Button’s "really intelligent approach" that is paying off so far in 2010, according to his former boss Ross Brawn.

After two wins on damp tracks so far in 2010, the reigning world champion is currently leading the world championship.

But throughout the winter, most experts predicted that Button, 30, would be blown away at least initially by Lewis Hamilton.

His friend David Coulthard wrote in his latest Telegraph column: "I told you so."

Brawn, who replaced Button with Michael Schumacher this year but insists the Briton switched to McLaren for the new challenge, told Reuters that F1 is again seeing the "natural Jenson" who won many races early in 2009.

Brawn said the more conservative and tense driver in the second half of the season was the result of the "pressures" of the championship battle.

"He’s not looked necessarily quicker than Lewis, but he’s doing a better job and he’s getting the results," he added.

Former long time McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa said most paddock regulars did not expect Button to have the upper hand over Hamilton.

"Hardly anyone counted on that," he told the Swiss newspaper Blick.

"He (Button) has stayed calm and had very few problems with the tyres. But I know Hamilton’s strengths. He will soon wake up and strike back," de la Rosa predicted.

Indeed, when asked to name his picks for the eventual title battle, the Spaniard answered: "Good question, difficult answer. Hamilton, Vettel or Alonso — and not necessarily in that order!"