Lewis Hamilton has admitted that he doesn't always come across the way he intended to when interviewed in the heat of the moment.
The championship leader, who has been accused of over-confidence in some sections of the media, said he knows he could be more careful with how he expresses himself given his position in the spotlight.
“For sure, it’s not easy to always say or do the right thing, and when you’re constantly being scrutinised it can be particularly difficult," he said in an interview for his personal website.
"Recently, there have been lots of different quotes attributed to me.
"And 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."
Hamilton added he did not want to be seen as arrogant, but said that he had to be self-confident in order to be a successful racing driver.
"I would never say I was better than anyone else," he said.
"But I am a Formula 1 driver and all of us have to believe in ourselves to get to where we are.
"You have to have that belief to go out and win: and that’s what helps you strive for better performance and to achieve more in your life.
"I look at the other drivers and I want to beat them.
"I would never say, ‘I’m better than you,’ I just think that all these guys are the best and to be the best I have to beat them.
"That’s how every racing driver sees things."