Derek Bell believes Jenson Button will emerge a stronger character following a season to forget with Honda.

Button has yet to win a single point this season from the opening seven grands prix as the car has been lacking in all areas.

After collecting the highest number of points from the final six races of last season, Button has not even finished in the top 10 this year.

Bell knows all about the vagaries of Formula One as he failed to make his mark at the highest level before carving out a niche in sportscars.

The 65-year-old finished just two of nine grands prix he started over a six-season career that saw him with a different team each year, while he failed to qualify for seven other races.

Bell, though, went on to win five Le Mans titles, three in the 24 Hours of Daytona, as well as two World Sportscar Championships.

Bell, these days an ambassador for Bentley, is not advocating a switch away from Formula One for Button, but believes patience and perseverance will prove a virtue.

"I really believed not so long ago we were going to have a success story to cheer with Jenson," Bell told PA Sport at the Goodwood Festival of Speed event.

"But he went to a team that wasn't winning races, and suddenly he was being criticised.

"Once you get a number of races that depress you, you start to become demoralised and people don't want to talk so much about you.

"But the important thing for Jenson is that he is gaining all the time in experience, and he is developing tremendously by putting up with a lot of hardship.

"I believe he should stick with it, if only because where else would he go, but he has also started to develop a camaraderie with his team."

Button has certainly been pushed out of the sports pages with the emergence of Lewis Hamilton, who has taken Formula One by storm in his debut year.

Bell, though, feels that while Hamilton is currently taking the plaudits, Button's time will come.

"Jenson is obviously a great talent," added Bell.

"But you can't say he is better or worse than Lewis because he is not in the same car. You can't draw comparisons.

"The only way you could do that is by putting them in the same car, but that's not going to happen.

"But Jenson can still be up there. He is still young enough."

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