Hamilton says home fans will spur him on

LEWIS HAMILTON claims racing in his home grand prix makes him more determined than ever to succeed and is looking forward to the support of the British fans next weekend.

Hamilton finished third in his first British GP last season and needs a strong result to get his title charge back on track after slipping to fourth place following his retirement in Canada and his troubled time at Magny-Cours last weekend.

And he believes the sell-out crowd will help to push him on to a good performance.

“There’s something about racing in your home country that affects you,” he said. “The constant support of the crowd gives you a boost throughout the whole weekend. It’s not something you experience anywhere else, but it does make you that bit more determined to succeed.

“It gives an extra boost to your confidence to know you’re getting more support, and it seems to make you perform better. Last year I found the support was immense and made the weekend a lot easier to get through.

“Winning your home race is something every driver wants to achieve. My goals are that I want to win the first race of the season (which he did this year), I want to win Monte Carlo, which I did this year, and I want to win my home grand prix, so I’m ready for the challenge at Silverstone.”

Hamilton is also eager to race again at Silverstone, which he believes is one of the world’s best driver’s circuits.

“It’s one of the best on the calendar, a real driver’s circuit,” he added. “It’s super-fast. Formula One just wouldn’t be the same without Silverstone, it’s become a British phenomenon.”