He may be be a whizz on the race circuit but Lewis Hamilton is certainly no expert when it comes to speaking publicly.

Not for the first time, the ex-Formula One world champion has stunned fans with some ill-advised comments.

This time it’s about the plight of former F1 ace Michael Schumacher.

In an interview ahead of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton said “all things happen for a reason” when asked about Schumacher’s skiing accident and the subsequent induced coma the seven-time world champion’s been in for the past 11 weeks.

While there was no hint of malice in what he said, his comments nevertheless left some sports fans scratching their heads in disbelief.

“As a young driver who watched Michael through his early days and championship wins, we – as Formula One – will carry him through the whole of the season,” Hamilton said.

“He’s a legend in the sport, you know, who has achieved so much – a very motivated individual.

“So I feel like all things happen for a reason, I think that this is an experience that will really show his character and depth and even more so than any other experiences he’s had.”

While the news for Schumacher this week was a little better with his family reporting slight improvements in his condition, retaining hope he will make a full recovery, Hamilton has suffered another media faux pas.

In 2010, the 2008 world champion took to Twitter to voice his angst with Formula One fans who’d been on his back after a poor season.

“To those of you who care, thanks for your support, am on here for you. To all you haters . . . I just don’t give a f*** haha,” Hamilton said before deleting the tweet.