Lewis Hamilton has hit back at suggestions he might be letting his priorities slip, after paparazzi recently snapped unflattering photos of the McLaren driver at the end of a big night out in London.
The reports come at an awkward time for the 2008 world champion, as it is believed he is locked in delicate negotiations with the famous British team over the terms of his 2013 contract.
"I have been out once in the UK in the last eight months," Hamilton, 27, insisted in Budapest on Friday.
"I didn’t even go out on new year’s eve," said the Briton.
"This whole ’not focused’ stuff ... I have never been so focused in my life. I have never trained so hard in my life. I have never dedicated so much time of my life to preparing for a grand prix."
Some, however, are sure Hamilton is now letting his celebrity lifestyle take too much of a hold, raising the question of how he knows where to draw the line.
"You just do (know)," he is quoted by the Daily Mail. "That is why we are the top drivers, because we know how to do it. Downtime is important."
Hamilton was fastest in both practice sessions in Hungary on Friday.
"It’s been a really positive day. I’m very happy," he said.