I always want to be the best at what I do. As a kid, whatever I was doing, if I was playing football or whatever I was applying my energy to at the time, I always wanted to do it to the best of my abilities. And I was always interested in finding out how I could do it better.

I grew up going to the store, seeing the products [of L'Oréal ], seeing the commercials and the ambassadors. I never in a million years thought I'd be associated with them.

I don't know if you've ever been skiing, but if you go to the slope you'll see all these kids fearlessly zooming by. It's only when we get older that fear creeps in. But for me, it just never has. And when it comes to racing, it's always about who is willing to go further, who is willing to take that extra step. I'm willing to take any amount of pain to win. I'm hungry like you.

As long as you win Monaco, that's the one. In my ten years of Formula One, I've only won here once. This is my second time.Every year, it feels like this is your Achilles heel. You almost have it and then you don't. It's such a hard race to win.

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

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.

Nothing can really prepare you for when you get in the Formula One car. Knowing that you're driving a multimillion-dollar car, and if you crash it it's going to cost a lot of money, and they might not give you another chance, is scary.