Hamilton also dismisses 'arrogant' jibe

Dec.10 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has echoed his boss Ron Dennis' defence that he is not arrogant.

Among the criticisms of the 2008 world champion that emerge from the paddock and the wider public, the 23-year-old's sometimes over-zealous confidence is arguably most often repeated.

The McLaren driver admits that some of the negativity surrounding his success "saddens" him.

"It saddens me people get a different view of me," Hamilton is quoted as saying by the Sunday Mirror.

"But I'm young and I'm going to be here for a while. I'm going to do everything I can to open their minds.

"Hopefully, I'll be able to win them over and show them that I am a normal person and have good values and morals," he said.

Hamilton admits he possesses very healthy "confidence" and "self-belief" but warns against confusing it with arrogance.

"There are some people who express things better than others. Some are a lot quieter. It just so happens I'm a bubbly kind of guy."

Another criticism often fired at Hamilton is his decision, for both privacy and tax reasons, to leave Britain and live in Switzerland.

"Britain will always be my love. I love my people, I love their support and I love the country -- but I'm happy where I am," he said.