Lewis Hamilton has found himself in hot water even before setting foot on Australian soil.

A Mercedes spokesman confirmed that the world champion has been in New Zealand this week for personal reasons rather than any official duties.

Indeed, he was at Sky City casino in Auckland when he tweeted that staff treated him "like dirt".

He then went on Snapchat to giggle at the number of Chinese people on a domestic flight, before hiring a Harley Davidson and taking a video selfie with his mobile phone while riding.

It is the selfie that attracted the attention of local police, with reports in New Zealand quoting a spokesman as confirming that authorities were "reviewing the footage".

"If there is clear evidence that a mobile phone has been used to record this footage ... then this would be deemed as an offence," the police said.

Reportedly, they concluded that the evidence was insufficient.

Hamilton, however, seems unperturbed about the negative attention his New Zealand escapade has been attracting..

"Want to hear something funny?" he told his Snapchat fans. "Every time I post something on here and people get upset, they contact Mercedes.

"But do I look like I'm bothered? I'm having a great time."

The season-opening Australian Grand Prix takes place in Melbourne on Sunday.