Hamilton looks back: "It reminds me of the karting days"

"People have said a lot of things about how I live over the past year. However, people who see me at home or my family know exactly how I really am," explained Hamilton to Motorsport-Total.com.

Like the karting days

"It was very busy and I was travelling all the time. I flew from London to New York and from New York to Singapore, where I did my best qualifying round ever and amazed all the critics. This year, however, it is different."

The tranquillity that Hamilton has found at home is something new for the six-time world champion. "I'm not being pulled from left to right all the time now. I have never been home so much. I've been able to spend more time doing the things that I don't really like, but still need to do.

"It reminds me of the karting days, that I had school during the week and was on the track at the weekend," Hamilton said.