Speeds in Formula One racing were unlikely to be reduced despite new rules and regulations being introduced by the governing body FIA, Formula one ace driver Lewis Hamilton said on Thursday.

"GP2 is getting faster and Formula One will have to stay faster. But the thing is everytime new rules and regulations are brought in teams only get faster," Hamilton, who was in the city for a promotional event, said.

The 23-year-old McClaren Mercedes driver who almost won the drivers' standings in 2007 on debut, said that he was in favour of the recent rule to eliminate traction control in the cars since it left a lot more to the driver.

"Without it (traction control) it is much more up to the driver. It really is incredible," Hamilton said.

With new technology and rules cars in Formula One were also set to look more like those in GP2 where a lot more driver skill would be required, he said.

Hamilton denied that the major teams like Ferrari and Mclaren Mercedes had an advantage over smaller teams due to lesser financial constraints for development of cars.

"Formula One has been this way for many years. All the teams when qualifying are within one second of one another and it is not about who has more money but who spends it better," he said.

Hamilton, fresh off victories in two consecutive races at Germany and England, was in the city for a promotional event organised by telecom giant Vodafone, and visited a go-karting track in suburban Powai.

Just for fans

The ace driver, who is leading the drivers' standings presently, also drove seven laps in kart around a truncated track to the joy of hundreds of fans, mostly teenagers, and flagged off a race as well.

"This is my first time in India and I don't know when I would have found the time to come here," Hamilton said.

The British driver said he rated his victory at his home circuit of Silverstone, in which he started fourth on the starting grid but made the most of wet weather to win the race, as "one of the best victories so far".

"It was special for winning at home," he said.

An incredible year

Hamilton, who burst onto Formula One last year with nine consecutive podium finishes and finished second in the Drivers' World Championship, said it had been an incredible year for him.

"Winning would have been great," he said adding that it was now a challenge for him to try and win it this year and he was working hard towards it.

When asked who his closest rival for this year, would be Hamilton said he expected it to be Ferrari's Kimi Raikonnen, who presently trails him in the drivers' standings by seven points and snatched the Driver's Championship away from him in the final race last season.

He, however, refused to choose between former teammate Fernando Alonso, who is now with Renault, and current teammate Heikki Kovalainein.

"Racing with Alonso, a former World Champion, was very surreal while with Heikki it is his second year for him in Formula One as well. He has the same ambition and focus on goals," Hamilton said, adding that both were fantastic drivers.

The McLaren Mercedes driver said getting to Formula One racing had been a hard journey for him particularly with his family having to make a lot of sacrifices for him to continue racing in his teenage years.