Lewis Hamilton 'still loves' Nicole Scherzinger

Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he still loves Nicole Scherzinger and longs for a reunion.

The Formula One star and the pop singer split up last month after four years together as the strain of their busy work schedules took its toll.

It is understood that the 26-year-old's failure to commit to starting a family further undermined their relationship.

Earlier this week pictures were published of what appeared to be a frosty meeting in a Los Angeles car park between him and X-Factor judge Scherzinger.

But as he prepared for this Sunday's final race of the season in Sao Paulo, he said that could not be further from the truth.

Sporting a long black set of rosary beads overlaid with white gold given to him by his ex as a present in LA, Hamilton said of the photographs: "Well, they didn't catch us at the best of times.

"What you didn't see is that we had a really good week, a couple of really nice lunches together. We had a really nice dinner together.

"It's very early days and we still have very strong feelings for one another. I still love her very much.

"So, who knows? Maybe we will be together in the future."

Hamilton's trip to the United States also included a visit to New York in which he "got to hang with Mary J Blige, Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz in the studio, which was really cool".

Hamilton could now not be more upbeat ahead of the weekend, saying: "I'm very much here in a positive frame of mind.

"I am very happy to be here, I've great memories of being here in the past. Actually she (Scherzinger) was here with me when I won the world championship (in 2008), so I've very good memories.

"But certainly it was a really positive few days which meant more to me than a race win, so I came away from LA feeling great and things are different, so that's cool.

"I've a lot of positive energy at the moment."