Ben Ainslie, Britain's leading Olympic sailor, believes that Lewis Hamilton should not allow himself to be distracted by critical media coverage and instead try to focus on his racing. If he does so, Ainslie believes, the results will follow.

Speaking on board the racing yacht Hugo Boss, on which Hamilton sailed at the weekend, Ainslie said that he sympathised with the British Formula One driver, who has complained recently about what he views as unnecessarily critical coverage in the wake of two consecutive grands prix in which he failed to score.

“It is really hard when you read things you don't particularly like in the press,” Ainslie said. “It is frustrating because Lewis knows himself how hard he is actually working, how good he is and his potential.

“You've just got to believe in yourself. Unfortunately the media are always going to write a story, whether it's positive or negative, and you've just got to focus on your job and try to do as well as you can.”

Ainslie has not had to contend with anything like the same level of attention as Hamilton, but he knows how to win when the chips are down, as he has shown in both the Olympics, which have brought him two gold medals and a silver, and in other championships.

“At the end of the day, the results are what do the talking,” Ainslie said. “If Lewis goes out there and wins the World Championship, he's going to be a hero for life and that's what he's got to focus on and not worry about what other people think or say - he just has to focus on his results.”

At the weekend Hamilton, who is fourth in the drivers' championship going into the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday, sounded a more positive note, having previously complained about the “crap” written about him after the French Grand Prix ten days ago.

“I feel that I've had so much support from the media, especially last year and in the build-up to this year, and I know that with the performance that I'll have coming up, I feel that they'll be back on my side and they will continue supporting me,” Hamilton said.