Lewis Hamilton in media spotlight as title chase enters home straight at United States Grand Prix

World champion’s behaviour on and off the circuit will go under a sharp media microscope as he bids to keep his title challenge alive at this weekend’s US Grand Prix

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Lewis Hamilton was criticised over his behaviour during a press conference ahead of the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan. Photo: EPA

Published: 10:29am, 20 Oct 2016

Lewis Hamilton’s behaviour on and off the circuit will go under a sharp media microscope as he bids to keep his title challenge alive at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix.

Back at the scene of his crushing title-winning triumph in 2015, when he scored a belligerent victory to end Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg’s challenge, the 31-year-old Briton this time faces a very different scenario.

It will begin on Thursday when, two weeks after his controversial Snapchat antics in Japan, he returns to appear before the international media at a mandatory pre-event news conference.

At Suzuka, he played on his camera and complained that the media session was “killing me” and the furore that followed resulted in him walking out of a team news briefing two days later.

Hamilton on the podium after the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit. Photo: AFP

That led to more media uproar that many believed undermined his concentration and led to his poor race start that saw him fall from second on the grid to eighth.

He can ill afford any similar slip this time as he goes into the first of the final four races of a roller-coaster season with a 33-point deficit behind Rosberg.