Lewis Hamilton: "I like India. I have never seen such enthusiastic fans anywhere!"

At the age of ten, a kid approached McLaren’s boss Ron Dennis and told him that one day he will be racing for his team. 12 years later, he kept his word as he made his Formula One debut. This clearly depicts the passion and hunger of a man to achieve his dreams. Lewis Hamilton followed his destined path when he won the Drivers Championship in 2008 in a tense finish in the last race of the season. One of the fastest Formula One driver, he has had a rough year this season on the track. Despite that, he continues his quest to be the best.

Named after American sprinter Carl Lewis, Hamilton, at the age of eight had begun kart racing. At the age of 13, when he was signed by McLaren and Mercedes-Benz for their Young Driver Support Programme, he became the youngest ever driver in the history of F1 to secure a contract.

A glamorous off-track presence and never away from the media glare, Lewis Hamilton is one of the superstars of F1.

In Singapore, Sportskeeda caught up with the Briton to quiz him about his on and off-track exploits:

You won at Monza and it’s been a revival of sorts for you this season since Hungarian GP. How would you describe the season so far for you?

The season has been great. I am becoming better with every race. It’s all the result of the hard work I have been putting in.

What are your views on safety norms in racing, specially after the crash at Spa? Are covered cockpits a good idea for future races?

Formula one is all about driving the fastest cars, so accidents are bound to happen.

You’ve been mum about the renewal of contract with McLaren. Will the recent telemetry incident on twitter do any harm to the talks between you and the team?

Well, for now I wouldn’t like to talk about it.

Fans have been speculating about what you were pointing at on the helmet after winning the Italian GP?

Since I was 13, I have been participating in races in Monza. The place holds a very special place in my heart and so I had the Italian flag on my helmet as a sign of respect, which I was pointing out to the amazing crowd there.

How do you, as an F1 driver, prepare for the physical extremities of a race? Give an insight into your diet and other preparatory routines before the raceday.

Even though we have to sit and race, we need to be really fit. I never miss out on my gym routines and eat healthy and in moderation. Thanks to my trainer Antti Vierula as he really takes good care of it.

How was your experience of driving down the BKC (Mumbai)?

Oh, it was fun and especially the fans. I like India. I have never seen such enthusiastic fans anywhere to be honest!

Our readers are curious about your relationship with Nicole Scherzinger. Is marriage on the cards?

(chuckles) Well, let’s see. It’s too early to say anything as of now.

Fernando Alonso has singled you out as the main title contender. Can you put a finger on your toughest challenger for the race to the top?

Well, Vettel is really good.

The Indian GP has been a milestone for F1 sport in India. It wasn’t a great outing for you last year, while teammate Jenson Button finished 2nd. Looking forward to Noida this year?

Let’s see. Me and my team are positive. Hopefully I’ll do well. It is going to be a crucial race.

Any friends on the track?

Not really.

You were leading before the unfortunate gearbox failure. Are you furious?

I am disappointed of course. However, these things happen. It feels bad to have not been able to complete the race. Bad luck has been following us since the start of this year. Hopefully this is the last time.

Have all these unlucky incidents created any negative impact on your thinking?

Not really. We are still a very good team. Even in this race, we started off pretty well and before I retired, I was leading which means we’ve still got the pace. The competition has got tougher and tougher. We still have 6 races left and I am sure I will pull it off in them.