Hamilton to leave UK?

Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he is considering moving away from the UK as his tremendous success in this year's Formula 1 World Championship begins to attract feverish media attention.

Although press attention for Hamilton since he came onto the sporting scene earlier this year has been positive and full of praise for a rookie season that yielded three wins so far, the flip side is that he is now a considered something of a celebrity for tabloid newspapers.

Indeed, following on from the controversial Hungarian Grand Prix, Hamilton was a popular figure in the British newspapers as he embarked on his summer-break in France, with speculation rife about his personal life rather than his sporting achievements.

It is a trend that Hamilton is keen to stop and he has kicked off speculation that he is on the verge of moving out of the UK in order to guarantee himself some privacy.

"I'm definitely contemplating living outside the UK," he told the BBC. "I've always dreamt of living in London but it's becoming more and more difficult. Pressure on the track doesn't get to me, I'm able to manage it, but in your personal life it affects you."

"My whole holiday was in the papers. I was trying to relax, but I couldn't swim, because the cameras were waiting to get 10,000 euros for the pictures," he said.

"If I can't live a normal life and enjoy my life without being spread across the tabloids... we'll just have to wait and see. It's down to the media, really."

Is Lewis over-reacting by wanting to move to another country to escape the media, or do you think he is right to want to concentrate on his driving? Have your say by clicking on the 'comment on this story' link above.