Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff believes Nico Rosberg was back to his best in Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix.
Rosberg has again found himself playing second fiddle to Hamilton so far this season, which has led to many questioning his character and ability.
Although Rosberg could only finish third behind Hamilton and Ferrari star Kimi Raikkonen at the Bahrain International Circuit, he proved over the course of the race he still has what it takes.
Rosberg conjured three superb overtaking manoeuvres, one on Raikkonen and two on the Finn's Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel.
A delighted Wolff said: "Everybody who ever doubted Nico saw Nico at his best, fighting hard and overtaking.
"We are four races into the season and there are another 15 left, so I have no doubt after his driving in Bahrain, which was exceptional, we will have a very strong Nico bouncing back in Barcelona (for the Spanish Grand Prix)."
Asked as to what is required of Rosberg to overcome an in-form Hamilton, Wolff replied: "To qualify on pole and control the race from there.
"We saw that Lewis qualifying on pole, running away and being in control of the race was similar to what we had in China.
"He was the key to scoring maximum points."
A concern for Wolff, however, is the brake failures of Hamilton and Rosberg over the final two laps.
For Rosberg, in particular, the brake system in his car failed on the penultimate lap, allowing a charging Raikkonen an easy pass, although it is likely the Finn's pace at that stage would have resulted in him claiming second anyway.
As for Hamilton, his brakes gave way on the final lap, but the 30-year-old was able to cross the line 3.3 seconds ahead of Raikkonen.
"We must be happy with one and three, no doubt about it," added Wolff.
"But Nico losing second place because of a brake failure is a bit of a pity.
"We saw very hot brakes on Nico's car in traffic following Sebastian (Vettel) with lots of hard braking.
"We monitored that, but with the backmarkers and the lapping cars those brake temperatures went through the roof and we had a brake-by-wire failure on both cars in the same corner - Lewis on the last lap, Nico on the penultimate lap.
"Leading into the last lap it was under hard braking on the straight the temperatures went sky high.
"When that happens the brake-by-wire switches into a conventional system and then you are without weapons to defend."
Source: PA
