Critics should get off Hamilton's back

So which type of Formula 1 driver do your prefer? The clean-cut, keeps-himself-to-himself family man like Sebastian Vettel, or your high-profile, barely-out-of-the-headlines 'playboy' like Lewis Hamilton?

I can appreciate to the average petrolhead what a driver gets up to away from a racetrack is of zero concern, and all that matters is what he does from Friday to Sunday of a grand prix weekend.

But in this modern-day world driven by social media, even if you are undertaking the most leisurely of perusals across the internet, Twitter or Instagram, it is hard to avoid coming across a tale or photo of Hamilton regarding some aspect of his personal life.

Take these past couple of weeks for instance, F1's summer break and the down time for a driver when he is supposed to find a quiet, get-away-from-it-all spot, or to just relax with family and forget about boarding a plane, spending time in a hotel room, and to revel in not being badgered by the media at a race event.

Vettel is the epitome of such an idyll as he prefers to shun the spotlight, to shield his wife and young daughter from the paparazzi to such an extent you will not be able to find a word or picture about the four-times champion's private comings and goings.

Not so Hamilton as he has been partying away in Barbados, stirring news hacks into a frenzy with his apparent flirtations with another popstar in Rihanna.

To boot, Hamilton posted pictures of himself revelling in the island's Kadooment Day - the culmination of the Crop Over Festival season - when it is virtually an offence if you do not enjoy yourself.

One Instagram photo, in particular, captured the imagination and the spotlight as Hamilton could be seen 'grinding' away against a female festival goer, and with a sizeable cigar protruding from his lips.

The message that accompanied it was also eye-catching as it read: 'Positively preposterous behaviour I say!! #0FucksGiven'.

Hamilton and Vettel take different approaches away from the track © LAT

Should we be appalled and say: 'Shocking Lewis! You're a role model and should not be engaging in this sort of thing'?

Or should we go for the contrary view and say: 'Bravo Lewis! Well done for going out and enjoying yourself'?

Whether you care or not, whether you like it or not, there is no escaping the fact the use of social media in such a way has infiltrated our lives.

And given the direction in which society has headed over the years, there is now a fine line between what is deemed as acceptable and unacceptable.

This is no longer the James Hunt era of the unabashed 1970s when smoking, drinking and womanising were considered de rigeur.

No, this is a time when we expect, and in some cases demand, our heroes, be it from the world of sport, pop or movies, to be squeaky clean, whiter than white.

But Hamilton has broken no laws here, crossed no line, and instead he is simply doing what most 30-year-old singletons would do on a summer holiday and is having a good time.

I have no problem with Hamilton portraying this side to himself because at the end of the day it is not interfering with what he is paid a considerable amount of money to do by Mercedes.

Yes, he may jet around the world, be pictured emerging from a fashion show here, a restaurant or a nightclub there, and we may wonder how he manages to burn the candle at both ends.

But it is not as if Hamilton is turning up at a circuit looking the worse for wear, and then performing as if the effects of a late night have kicked in.

This is a super-fit Hamilton, believing himself to be resplendent in his gaudy jewellery and with his bulldogs by his side, living his life as he sees fit.

Hamilton's summer break exploits caused a stir through Instagram

And by no means is this any kind of excuse for Hamilton, but you have to remember as a child prodigy that has made good on his talent from those early years, he is finally living the life he primarily missed out on in growing up.

Instead, there was a lot of blood, sweat and tears, and a father in Anthony who at one stage held down three jobs to ensure he and his son could live their dream.

Lewis' was no ordinary racing upbringing, and remember also it was not until the age of 13 he earned his 'apprenticeship' with McLaren, because that was when the real hard work started under the nurturing, but critical gaze of Ron Dennis.

For Hamilton, racing and schoolwork went hand-in-hand, leaving him little to no time to build up friendships or a social life that as a teenager you start to take for granted once you understand there is a big, wide world out there.

Once Hamilton crossed over into the bubble of F1, becoming a champion in only his second season in 2008 at the age of 23, that big, wide world, with all its allure and enticements, then figured more on his radar.

In many respects you feel these past few years have been a voyage of discovery for Hamilton, developing his character, with him trying to ascertain who he is, his purpose and direction in life.

Again, these are all aspects the majority of us start to work on throughout our teenage years, but something Hamilton perhaps missed out on given his focus and his drive in forging his racing career.

Hamilton doesn't shy away from social media © LAT

It is also why he is seemingly far more willing to flaunt himself in the public eye than any of his peers, and to a certain degree he appears to revel in the attention.

The day he was turned away from Wimbledon's royal box earlier this year, for instance, for being improperly attired he at first posted a picture of his ticket for the men's final, along with the etiquette guide for royal box guests.

Shortly after he was given the cold shoulder he then posted a well-framed, silhouetted picture of himself, with Wimbledon in the backdrop.

That was undeniably clever self-publicity, with Hamilton attempting to make the most of an unfortunate situation.

Hamilton may have been on this voyage, as mentioned earlier, but he is now savvy enough to understand what works for him.

So when it comes to being in the public eye Hamilton and Vettel are worlds apart; the former appreciating its value, a necessary evil on occasion, with the latter unwilling to play any part in it, and there is nothing wrong with either.

It is just Hamilton has trodden a path, be it deliberately or otherwise, he is now totally comfortable with, playing to an unseen crowd of nearly three million (his Twitter followers), and rising.

This is the modern world, and more power to Hamilton for recognising that.