France’s home race returns to the F1 calendar after a decade-long absence in 2018, with its last appearance coming during Hamilton’s maiden title victory in 2008.

But that race was held at the famous Magny-Cours circuit, as it had been since 1991.

This time around, the French Grand Prix will return to the Paul Ricard Circuit near Toulon on the Mediterranean coast.

And Hamilton is frustrated with the choice of track, claiming it elicits no emotional reaction in him.

“Honestly I don't like it, just to be straight with you,” Hamilton told French TV station Canal+.

“I loved it when we used to have the Grand Prix in Magny-Cours.

“[Paul Ricard] is in a beautiful place, but the track, when I say I don't like it, it's not as great as Magny-Cours.

“I think the most important thing is that we do have a Grand Prix back in France because it's an important part of Europe, it's an important part of the European tour.

“It's just, you know, France has so many beautiful, beautiful circuits – Le Mans, for example – and for some reason we don't have it at the most beautiful track.

“It doesn't register for me, I'm a driver and I'm dead straight with you, and I'm not gonna beat around the bush.

“But maybe we will have the best race of the whole season there.”

F1 will make its return to France on June 24, two weeks after the Canadian Grand Prix and just a week before the Austrian Grand Prix.

And despite Hamilton’s misgivings, fellow drivers such as Pierre Gasly have been relishing seeing the country back on the circuit.

"In Formula 1, having a home Grand Prix is incredible and for us, there will be three French drivers and a Monegasque as well," Gasly said earlier this month.

"I was able to speak with Alain Prost and Jean Alesi and they told me it will be a very special moment that you have to savour, because it only happens once a year.”