Felipe Massa has tipped his rookie teammate Lance Stroll to bounce back after a tough start to the teenager's Formula 1 career.

Having secured his Williams debut amid suggestions of being a wealthy 'pay driver', 18-year-old Stroll had a difficult winter with F1's much faster cars for 2017 and then more troubles in the season opener in Melbourne.

However, 35-year-old Massa, whose own F1 debut season at the age of 21 was similarly less than smooth, said that he is doing what he can to help Stroll adjust.

"He's 18," the Williams driver told Brazilian broadcaster Sportv. "I remember when I was 18 and the mistakes I was making.

"Eventually you find out that you just needed time. For sure he will improve during the championship.

"He has ended up not having a great start, including what happened in testing. But he has to have patience and time.

"I'm passing on all the information to him, everything I see, to help him learn and to understand. I've known him since he was eight years old. So I have all the affection to help him to develop and have a strong partnership during the season."

The championship continues next weekend with the Chinese Grand Prix.