Hamilton still adapting to F1 fame

"It's something you have to get used to but I'm definitely not used to it yet," McLaren's 22-year-old championship leader told reporters at the French Grand Prix on Thursday.

"The outside world has been the biggest step for me," added the British rookie. "I don't have as much privacy as I've had in the past.

"Going from almost being no one, and no one recognising you, to having everyone recognising you is a big step."

Hamilton leads double world champion and teammate Fernando Alonso by 10 points in the championship and is guaranteed to be at least equal on points at the top when he arrives at Silverstone for his home race next week.

"When you are preparing for a race you know what sort of things you have to prepare for, you have other people's experiences, the team's experiences," continued Hamilton, who has been on the podium in every race so far.

"You have guidelines of where you need to go and the steps forward.

"But with the outside world and all the attention and everything, everyone has their own way of dealing with it, so I can't take somebody's experience and use that. I have to just find my own way."

The first black driver to win a Grand Prix, as well as the youngest British winner, said he realised even more now just how much of a role model he was becoming after winning in Canada and the United States.

"I'm starting to notice it and starting to see the importance of my actions and the way people perceive me and the image that I portray," he said.

"I've had letters from people that I've read this week and last week, young kids who are telling me that all of a sudden they want to be racing drivers now."

The Briton said he had not gone out and partied after his victories.

"I still have 10 races to go and if I squander it all now I won't have anything to look forward to in the future," he said.