Button says F1 cannot 'ban' Mercedes

World champion Lewis Hamilton has joined his Mercedes bosses in hitting back at Red Bull's 'wailing'.

Struggling Red Bull has called on F1 authorities to take action against Mercedes' huge dominance, arguing the engine regulations are "killing" the sport.

Briton Hamilton, the reigning world champion and Melbourne winner, grinned when told about Red Bull's stance.

"I said to Sebastian Vettel after the race 'You did this for four years. You were 30 seconds ahead for four years'. So I know what it feels like," he said.

Hamilton said the fact the best cars dominate formula one is nothing new.

"No one had a Marussia and won the world championship, did they?" he insisted. "Fangio still had a great car. It's the name of the game."

Even Jenson Button, who struggled in Melbourne with the woefully slow McLaren-Honda, has declined to join Red Bull in calling for Mercedes' dominance to be reined in.

"There's nothing really to ban," he said, "because it doesn't look like Mercedes are doing anything other teams aren't doing."

Button argued that while Red Bull used to "push the limits of the grey areas" during its dominance, Mercedes is simply doing "a much better job" than the others.

He indicated it is therefore unfair to criticise the German team.

"They're told they're damaging the sport. So it's a difficult situation," said Button. "It stops people from wanting to be the best.

"It obviously would be better for the sport if there were different people fighting at the front but it's not Mercedes fault," he added.

"Would Red Bull be upset about it if they were the team out front by one second? No."

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