Lewis Hamilton is oft misjudged. To many, such as me, he is one of the greatest grand prix drivers who has ever pressed pedal to metal. To others he is arrogant, a cocky upstart, splashing his wealth with a smug grin as he pampers his ego and physical being to the nth degree. He looks to be truly in love with one person only and that is himself. I know those who froth at the mouth at the mere mention of his name, yet, objectively, I cannot shake off the feeling that their disdain may be more to do with the colour of his skin than the content of his character or his expertise behind the wheel.

Arrogance is used as a slight on all and sundry: "Yes…but he is so arrogant", "the arrogant so and so" and suchlike, but I believe that there is nothing wrong with arrogance on one condition: you have a gift or something to be arrogant about. One would argue that with the sixth world F1 title in the bag, he has earned the right to be as cocky as he wishes.

We all know those contenders: those who are ultra arrogant yet have no decipherable talent on which to base their overinflated egos. Maybe they know something we don’t, but they leave me cold as I wonder why so cocksure? You have no decipherable skill, unless you are hiding it extremely well, and come across as an A-grade moron.

Another celebrity who is accused of similar is Liam Gallagher. He swears in abundance and struts about like the self-appointed leader of a cultural revolution. Assured, he is unsuitably attired in a heavy winter parka on a hot summer’s day as he lollops like a baboon with haemorrhoids. He says it as he sees it, is not averse to having sibling rivalries in the glare of the public gaze and spews wrath and fury with verve and gusto.

Again though, he has a talent. When he stands at the mic, hands behind his back and leaning over as if to offer some slipped disc respite, he shouts the words of Champagne Supernova and means them, prior to going mad fer it backstage and in the public domain.

I guess arrogance for the Hamiltons and Gallaghers of this world is doing things on their own terms. Gone are the days when the celebrity was the slave. Now they are the master, at the epicentre of an entourage whose bread and butter is in pleasing their cash cow overlord.

Is it any wonder why kids from council estates, suddenly thrust into a universe where they earn colossal sums and enjoy adulation everywhere they go become so damned arrogant? It has certainly happened to footballers too numerous to mention over the years including Jermaine Pennant.

In 2010, whilst playing for Zaragoza in Spain, Pennant parked a brand new Porsche at Zaragoza train station. He then left it for five months before the local fuzz contacted him to inform him of the mishap and to tell him the keys were still in the car. Surprisingly, not only did Pennant not remember leaving the car there, he totally forgot that he owned a Porsche, which is a display of extreme arrogance in anyone’s book.

Begrudgingly I can but look on and perversely admire such people. To have a talent, be fully conscious of that fact and to feel untouchable unleashes the shackles to live life as you see fit. Us mere mortals without the gift of singing, football or driving a car fast, legally, and being paid extortionate sums for doing so, can but watch on with a faint tinge of jealousy as we wonder what we can shout about to be noticed above the braying herd. The truth is, very little - and until the day we can excel in the company of fellow mortals, arrogance needs to be suppressed and left to the freaks of nature sitting in pole position such as Hamilton or belting out Wonderwall like our kid.