Lewis Hamilton hinted at trouble away from the track, and said he was “only human”, as he spoke for the first time about the social media backlash which provoked him to write that he felt like “giving up on everything”.

Hamilton arrived in Mexico for Sunday’s race, which could see him crowned a six-time world champion, facing criticism for a series of Instagram messages in which he took aim at the state of the planet and agriculture farming, while encouraging his 13million followers to follow him into veganism.

The British driver’s comments led his former team-mate and retired double world champion Fernando Alonso to say: “I think I would keep my eating habits to myself. We all know the lifestyle that Lewis has, and that Formula One drivers take 200 planes a year. You can’t then say ‘don’t eat meat’.”

“It is not the easiest because we are travelling around the world and our carbon footprint is higher than the average homeowner. But that doesn’t mean you should be afraid to speak out for positive change.

“I am looking at how I can improve and the effect I have on the world. It takes a while and it is not a quick fix.”

Hamilton will move to within one championship of Michael Schumacher’s all-time record if he outscores Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas by 14 points here in Mexico City on Sunday.

But Hamilton’s Mercedes team have struggled for pace at the high-altitude venue in recent seasons, meaning that the Briton may have to wait until next weekend’s US GP before he is crowned champion of the world for a fifth time in six years.

“I don’t remember any point this season where I have finished 14 points ahead of Valtteri,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where it is done, as long as you get it done.

“I am super-focused on the remaining four races. I am fully aware that there are plenty of points available so I have to deliver.”