Reigning Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton has been urged to apologise for spraying champagne into the face of one of the hostesses at the Chinese Grand Prix.

While celebrating his victory on the podium last Sunday, the Brit directed the sparkling wine into one of the women's faces.

Roz Hardie, who is the chief executive of Object, which campaigns against media sexism, believes that Hamilton has "abused" the hostess's position as she did not appear to 'enjoy it'.

"The photographs appear to show that the woman is not just being splashed, but that the champagne is being very specifically directed into her face, which does not look like a voluntary piece of horseplay on her part," the Daily Mail quotes Hardie as saying.

"If this if the case we think Lewis Hamilton should apologise for his actions and think carefully about how he behaves in the future. For most people, it would be apparent that she is not enjoying it.

"It is surely a very difficult position to be a grid girl and she would have had little option but to stand there and take it. That is something of which he should be aware, but instead, he appears to have abused her position."

Hamilton has won two of the three races of the 2015 season so far with Mercedes.