The 22-year-old took time out from preparations for Sunday's British Grand Prix at Silverstone to helicopter in to the Daytona Racing track at Rooksley.

Within minutes of getting out of his chopper he jumped into a kart and blasted around the track where as a youngster he honed his driving skills.

Afterwards he said the track was "Cool, It is how I remembered it."

Maclaren driver Lewis, currently 14 points clear of the Championship, met a group of young karting proteges and inspired them by telling them to do their very best.

"The main thing is working as hard as you can for yourself, your family, team or sponsors.


"When I was your age I looked up to the Formula 1 drivers but they would not talk to me except one – David Coulthard," Lewis said.

Daytona boss Charles Graham said they were seeing an explosion of interest in junior karting.
"What we call the Hamilton-effect," he said adding that all those years ago they could see Lewis would be good. "But we didn't know just how good," he said.