Lewis Hamilton’s decision about his new manager is not just about formula one, the 2008 world champion has admitted.
The McLaren driver on Monday said signing up with XIX Entertainment is because its chief Simon Fuller "shared my ambitions for the longer term".
Fuller is famous for creating American Idol and its spinoffs, managing the Spice Girls and coming up with Honda’s ’earth car’ concept of 2007.
A report in Germany’s Bild newspaper said Hamilton "wants to get away from having purely an athletic image".
26-year-old Hamilton, whose girlfriend is Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, confirmed: "I’m open to music and film."