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Lewis Hamilton has told BBC Sport that he is missing the intense battle he had with team-mate Fernando Alonso in 2007.

The pair's acrimonious tussle for supremacy at McLaren last year led to the Spaniard leaving the team one year into a three-year contract.

But Hamilton said: "Having the battles we had, for sure I miss it."

Hamilton said the experience he gained from having the double world champion as his team-mate was "the reason for me being this strong this year".

Asked in an exclusive interview on the eve of the British Grand Prix if he missed having Alonso as a team-mate, Hamilton said: "Miss is the wrong word.

"I had a fantastic experience, competing with the two-time world champion, what a great experience it was. I learnt so much from him.

"But I know that we're still on the track together, and I have a team-mate [Heikki Kovalainen] who brings a lot of balance to the team, a lot of good, and he's a fantastic guy to work with as well."

You've just done an hour and a half race, you've worked your backside off, and then they expect you to straight away get out of the car and talk to people Lewis Hamilton

And he insisted he felt "stronger than ever" despite the problems of the last two races - he crashed in the pit lane in Canada and failed to score points in France after being given a drive-through penalty for an illegal overtaking move.

"There are lots of new learning curves and experiences at the moment," Hamilton said.

"Last year was different, first season, I was smiling even when I was sleeping, living the dream, just thinking I can't believe this is all happening.

"This year, it's sort of come back down to earth, 'OK, now look, focus,' make sure I can repeat it again, don't get too ahead of yourself."

He defended his behaviour after the French Grand Prix two weeks ago, when he initially refused to talk to the media.

"You know, you've just done a long weekend, you've just done an hour and half race, you've raced and worked your backside off, and then they expect you to straight away get out of the car and talk to people.

Renault's lack of performance has limited Hamilton's battles with Alonso

"But, no, I feel that I've had so much support from the world and from the media, especially last year and building up to this year, but I know that with the performance I'll have coming up they'll be back on my side."

Asked if he felt the media was not on his side, he added: "No, you know in France, do you know what, I'd worked so hard to score a point, and I didn't get it. I was so tired, and I didn't have the patience to sit down and talk about it just yet.

"I needed to go and clear my mind. They've got a job to do, same as I have."

Hamilton said he expected a "tough race" at Silverstone this weekend, but that "in my heart, I feel I can win it".

Former world champion Damon Hill said Hamilton needed to concentrate on his own job and try to ignore external distractions.

"There is so much that goes on beyond your control that you are wise to just focus on what you can control, and that is, how you drive, how you do your job, and the rest of it is in the lap of the gods," said Hill.

"And that's part of the fun and excitement because there's only so much you can control, with the rest sorted out an hour and a half after the start of a race.

"Then there are the press, and they are tough. They can throw you."

Hamilton achieved one of his great ambitions last week when he met Nelson Mandela, whom he described as "a remarkable man, very inspirational to a lot of people".

Hamilton was accompanied to the dinner celebrating Mandela's 90th birthday by Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, and sat on "the main table, across from Bill Clinton, next to Chelsea Clinton, next to Oprah [Winfrey], Will Smith, Forrest Whittaker".

But he said the glamorous side of his life as an F1 driver had not changed him.

"I was thinking: 'What the hell am I doing here?' It was phenomenal, I was just very honoured," he said.

"I'm the same guy I was, I'm just doing a bigger job. I've had a great hobby all my life and now it's turned into a job.

"We're still the same family from Stevenage. We still love doing the normal things, going to the leisure park in Stevenage - not many people know we go there. Nando's, Pizza Express, I love going to those sort of things. I'm very fortunate I have my family to keep my feet on the ground."