Hamilton denies letting F1 focus slip

May 23 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton has hit back at Damon Hill, after the 1996 world champion questioned his off-track lifestyle.

After Nico Rosberg broke the world champion's run of poles and wins in Barcelona, Hill said Hamilton seemed to have "underestimated" his Mercedes teammate by risking jetlag in the days between the Bahrain and Spanish grands prix.

We had reported that, in those three weeks, Hamilton clocked up thousands of miles in his private jet, skipping from Monaco to London, Mallorca to Monza, Los Angeles to New York before returning to the UK and Spain.

Hamilton hit back in Monaco: "People are entitled to their opinions of me. What is important is that I enjoy what I am doing and when I know I am stretching myself.

"I have done this for long enough," the Briton insisted, "I have two world championships now, so I know what I am doing.

"I feel fresh. I feel fit," Hamilton continued. "I am going to do those trips. I like to do what makes me happy and there are a lot of positives and bonuses from that.

"Ultimately I was not quick enough in Spain but that was not because I had been travelling," he added.

Even in Monaco so far, Hamilton has been photographed at evening celebrity events, while Rosberg is staying at home with his heavily pregnant wife.

Hamilton insisted: "You have to find a way of enjoying Monaco though because it cannot be work, work, work all the time while everyone else is partying in the clubs."