Im an extremist so Im either hated or loved. I think its down to when I first got to Formula One not always knowing what I was saying, saying things that mean one thing but people were taking the other way and then people dont forget.

Now each race is different every time because it's a different journey to get to it - the difficulties you faced getting the car into that position. I manage myself. I chose my team myself. So there's a huge satisfaction for me.

I want to crush everyone. I want to outsmart everyone.

I feel like I've been blessed with the ability to do what I do and I guess, I ultimately want to be remembered for being an out-and-out racer; just driving at the seat of my pants and doing it the right way and winning for the right reasons. The right values.

Normally, racing drivers come from a long line of previous successful sports people.

I'm constantly watching my weight for my job, and I've trained so hard this year to be ready for this season-more rigorously than ever - but people who tune in to Formula One have no comprehension of what we have to do to be fit. It's so physical. This year, the car is way faster than when you came to the race. And the physicality has gone up quite a lot, at least 20 to 30 percent. People don't see that. They don't see us as athletes. They just see us driving.

I enjoy trying to develop a car and Mercedes are one of the biggest car manufacturers in the world.