******cat Doll Girlfriend Not A Distraction

Lewis Hamilton will once again be looking to return from yet another disappointing low point in this seasons Formula One World Championship.

2011 has not been a year which Hamilton has enjoyed. He may well have only suffered two DNF's this season, including the race at Spa, but Hamilton has been continually plagued by controversial incidents both on the track and off it with what he has said to the media.

'It feels like it's been a worse year than I've had previously. Hamilton told the BBC heading into the race weekend in Italy.

Hamilton has been criticised throughout the season for his driving style, with the media, former drivers and current drivers all targeting the McLaren driver over his apparent aggressive style.

He has been called to the stewards room so often this season that Hamilton has even joked about it.

At first he was visibly annoyed and made the ill-informed Ali G remark, while in more recent times he has joked that he actually holds a loyalty card with the stewards and no longer waits to be called to the office, instead he just goes straight there and waits outside the door!

His comments to the media have dramatically changed throughout the season. During the early stages, Hamilton was defensive and argued his view, now he takes responsibility for incidents like the Kobayashi collision, even though he wasn't the only one at fault.

But despite all that, the criticism hasn't just begun and ended with his behaviour on the track, some people in the media have also claimed that the 2008 Formula One World Champion has been letting his playboy lifestyle act as a distraction to his driving.

Hamilton of course is in a relationship with ******cat Dolls lead singer Nicole Scherzinger, some would argue that of course that would be a distraction, but the relationship just leads to more media focus on the British driver when he is away from the track due to the high profile relationship.

But while Hamilton has been quick to take responsibility for his mistakes in recent races, he denied claims his relationship was a distraction.

He said: 'They [the media] don't really have a clue what I do in my personal life. I live a normal life and I can't understand why I can't have a relationship like everyone else can. I don't live a celebrity life.

'I am in F1 so the cameras are around me but when I go home I live a normal life and I am not distracted.'