The Ferrari driver explained that he has been urging the sport's bosses to stage a race on the continent – which hasn't hosted a grand prix since 1993 – and says it would be "amazing" because of his African heritage.

Hamilton, the first-ever black driver to race in F1, told reporters: "I don't want to leave the sport without having a grand prix there, without getting to race there. I'm chasing them – when is it going to be?

"They're setting certain dates. I'm like, damn, I could be running out of time, so I'm going to be here for a while until that happens, because that would be amazing, given than I'm half-African."

Hamilton's second season with Ferrari begins in Australia this weekend and the seven-time world champion says he has "rediscovered" himself during the winter break following a disappointing 2025 campaign.

The British racer said: "The break was really positive. It was my surroundings. It was the people that I was with. It's not my first rodeo. So it's understanding how to flip things. And it's not that easy to do each time.

"But I always talk about cultivating a positive mental attitude. And that's what I focus on the winter doing."

Hamilton, 41, continued: "A lot of it came from training. Training hard on Christmas Day. Also knowing that I find it hard.

"I believe in myself that I've put more work in than anyone around me. And I believe in myself. Rediscovering myself was really a big part of it as well.

"As I said in one of my (Instagram) posts, I kind of lost sight for a second of who I was. And that person's gone. You won't see that person again."

Hamilton explained that he is feeling more settled at Ferrari having now experienced a year with the Prancing Horse.

He said: "It's massively different to the first year. And it's a much nicer feeling coming, having spent a year with the team, understanding the culture, understanding ways, finding ways of working together.

"We're in a good place now together as a team. And I feel very gelled with the team today. I'm much happier."