Mansell tips Button for maiden F1 win

Mansell, who was speaking at a sponsorship launch with Unipart on Thursday, believes the fact that Button has already bagged big money deals in the sport could work against him.

When asked by autosport.com about Button's prospects for ending his 100-race losing streak, Mansell said: "It doesn't bother me, but if it bothers anyone it should bother Jenson.

"One hundred Grands Prix without winning is a heck of a target now, isn't it? I think he should use it as a strength, to use the negative into a positive. He should say, 'okay this year I am going to get the monkey off my back and at least get a win on the way.'

"As soon as he does that, he will springboard and be a proven front-runner and winner. If not then he has got problems to address later in the year because Rubens is not going to pull over for him. Rubens is going to do a fantastic job and Rubens is a proven race winner, but I think it will spur Jenson on for better things."

Mansell did express his concern, however, about the level of rewards that drivers like Button have earned in their early F1 career - and the impact that may have on their hunger to win.

"I got my rewards after I won and after I was successful and won the World Championship. I started to earn a lot of money then.

"But to sign contracts for tens and tens of millions of pounds before you have even won races is quite extraordinary - and the question is does it take the edge off you? Well it might do, mightn't it?

"For that person or individual, and I am not just talking about Jenson now, it (the winning) doesn't really matter to them unless they are really dogged because they are set for life.

"It is a strange phenomenon that has happened in F1 where a lot of people have got a lot of benefits before they have actually delivered."