Lewis Hamilton once unleashed a fiery rebuttal against critics of his relocation to Monaco, with even former heavyweight boxing star Tyson Fury taking an aim at the Formula 1 icon's tax practices.
This weekend, the spotlight shines on Monaco again as it gets ready for the world-famous Grand Prix.
For this year's legendary race, Hamilton will don the red of Ferrari, but the track and area are not unfamiliar to him. The record-equalling seven-time World Champion initially moved from the UK to Luins Vaud in Switzerland back in 2007.
Later, in 2010, he made a switch to Monaco, citing reasons such as privacy and taxation for both his relocations.
"What people don't realise is that I pay tax here [in the UK], but I don't earn all my money here," Hamilton said to The Sunday Times in 2014.
"I race in 19 different countries, so I earn my money in 20 different places and I pay tax in several different places, and I pay a lot here as well. I am contributing to the country and, not only that, I help keep a team of more than 1,000 people employed."
Hamilton faced severe criticism for allegedly not paying taxes in the UK because his residence was primarily in Monaco. Nevertheless, he has staunchly defended his position in the past.
