Hamilton: I want to be part of a system to help heal the world

Hamilton said, “I grew up like everyone else thinking dairy and meat was good for you. I thought I was living healthily and was doing right.

"Then I met a few new people who were vegans, and they started showing me some of the things happening in our world that I was completely oblivious to. It freaked me out. I started to read about it and realised that what I was taught to believe was healthy, was not.

"So, I decided to try and gradually move in that direction, slowly getting rid of red meat, then chicken, then fish until I was ready to fully commit. I wanted to feel for myself how big of a difference it would make.”

"I cannot put into words how much better I feel. I used to eat all that stuff and enjoy it like most people do, but I would wake up feeling groggy, have mood swings and my energy level would go up and down through the day. I always had stomach problems and a swollen belly and I thought it was normal.”

As for advice for vegan wannabes, “It is like going to the gym. When you have a friend, you can experience new exercises together. Ask your friend if they want to try out a new vegan restaurant with you or eliminate certain foods for a period of time and see if you notice a difference in the appearance of your skin and how you are feeling."

This year Hamilton partnered with UNICEF Ambassador Tommaso Chiabra to launch Neat Burgers, a vegan fast food concept venue in London.

The Briton explained, “I used to love burgers. A friend of mine, who is also vegan, took me to a restaurant in Hong Kong and I had this burger that tasted incredible.

"Then I met up with another friend and talked about bringing it to the UK and building this up to make something transcending because people do still like fast food. At least now they know that there are other options.”

When Neat Burgers was presented to him the Mercedes driver saw a unique opportunity, "When I heard about it, I said I would love to be a part of it. I am a massive fan of Arnold [Schwarzenegger] and I watched his training programmes. His career has been incredible and it was really awesome to see his perception and viewpoint shift with the times.”

At the same time, Hamilton has concerns, “We are in a really bad time in society and have this massive crisis of climate change. It kills me to see the stuff that is happening and I just do not understand how people can turn a blind eye.

"People do not always like the stuff I post, but it is fine. Even if they unfollow me, I want them to see it. A lot of this is not part of the news. There are corporations and businesses that are just money-hungry. I am trying to push for sustainability with my team. I am trying to get more involved in Formula 1 and be more conscious.

“Mercedes-Benz is a huge organisation and I [had] a phone call with the CEO to discuss how we can work on getting rid of all the leather supplied to the cars. That is something I want to be involved in. I want to be part of a system that is going to help heal the world and do something positive for the future," declared Hamilton.