Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn has paid tribute to Jenson Button, who, having won the 2009 title with the Englishman's team, has made an explosive start with McLaren, winning two of his first four races with the Woking outfit.

While some say that Button lucked into the 2009 title, having had the best car at his disposal - certainly in the first half of the season - others said his move to Woking would end in tears, predicting the 30-year-old would get "murdered" by his teammate, Lewis Hamilton.

However, after four rounds of the 2010 championship, Button heads the standings, courtesy of victories in Australia and China which saw the reigning champion make superb strategic calls.

Talking at a promotional event for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute in London, Brawn paid tribute to his former driver.

"He's taken a really intelligent approach this year," said the Englishman. "He's highly skilled, we know that. If Jenson starts with the Jenson we had in the first half of last year then he's going to be very strong."

Referring to 2009, when, following an amazing start which saw Button take six wins from seven races, the former Honda driver came under increasing pressure from Red Bull, Brawn said: "Really the second half came from certain pressures that were building with the championship and so on and wasn't the natural Jenson. What we are seeing again is the natural Jenson. He's not looked necessarily quicker than Lewis, but he's doing a better job and he's getting the results."