Lewis Hamilton has denied claiming he is a better driver than was his hero, the late triple world champion Ayrton Senna.

We reported earlier this month that the McLaren driver and championship challenger was the subject of criticism in the German press, with the broadcaster RTL pronouncing him a "megalomaniac".

Hamilton, 23, was quoted as saying: "I know that I am as good as Ayrton Senna was."

After the Japanese grand prix, the Briton was asked whether he actually feels he is better than the great Brazilian.

"I never said that -- and I definitely wouldn't say it about Ayrton because he's my favourite driver. I think he's the best driver there ever was and, to this day, I still don't believe anyone would beat him.

"If I could achieve just a small part of what he's achieved, it would be a dream for me," Hamilton said.

He was also asked to respond to claims that he is often perceived as being over-confident and arrogant, and explained that his belief in himself often comes across wrong.

"Sometimes I've said things that have either come out the wrong way or been taken out of context so people get a different feeling of what I've said when I haven't expressed myself correctly. I'm only human and every now and then people make mistakes.

"Communication is so important in life and some of the things I've said were not meant to harm anyone. I don't feel like I've hurt anyone," Hamilton said.

Source: GMM