Button predicts Red Bull resurgence

Jenson Button has warned McLaren to be wary of a resurgent Red Bull in Singapore this weekend following a series of disappointing races for the reigning World Champions.

While McLaren have stormed back into the thick of the title race with a hat-trick of wins since Hungary in late July, the sport's standard bearers for the past two seasons, Red Bull, have claimed just one podium finish in that time and unusually struggled for pace in qualifying.

Red Bull's season sunk to a new low with their first double retirement for nearly two years in Monza after a weekend beset by reliability and general pace problems. But with Singapore's slower, tighter layout far more favourable to the RB8, Button is predicting an overdue return to form for the World Champions.

Nonetheless, although he is also expecting Ferrari to go well, Button says McLaren's recent form - particularly over a single lap - should translate to Marina Bay.

"There's no reason why we shouldn't be competitive here - we'll obviously be disappointed if we're not," he told Sky Sports News' Craig Slater.

"The last three races have been good for us. I think that Red Bull haven't been as quick as we expected over the last two races, but they'll be back here competitive again I think. And Ferrari.

"But we've been competitive in qualifying and the races over the last few races and that's really been key to winning the grands prix. Saturday has been more important than we expected this year."

Although the 5km circuit is a very different proposition to high-speed Monza, the key to a successful lap around both tracks requires a good car over the kerbs and Button says McLaren's MP4-27 certainly has no problems in this area.

"Kerb-riding is important here," the 32-year-old explained. "Monza we were quite happy with the kerb-riding which is nice to see in low downforce. But here is very different in terms of the tyres and temperatures. Even though it is so hot the temperature is low because there's no sun."