Lewis Hamilton stands by his decision to miss Formula One's London live and was unaware of fans fury

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A defiant Lewis Hamilton stood by his decision to snub Wednesday night's spectacular London demonstration - and warned he would be prepared to do it again. 

Hamilton was the sole driver of this year's 20-strong field not to attend the stunning parade as Formula One cars roared along Whitehall from Trafalgar Square ahead of Sunday's British Grand Prix.

Hamilton, 20 points adrift of championship leader Sebastian Vettel, informed Mercedes boss Toto Wolff of his desire to withdraw from the event in Austria last Saturday evening.

Mercedes insisted they had no issue with the Briton's move, but Formula One's new American owners Liberty Media acknowledged their disappointment at his failure to attend.

Meanwhile, the mere mention of Hamilton's name was subjected to boos by some of the tens of thousands of British fans who lined the streets of the capital hoping to catch a glimpse of the sport's biggest star.

Despite persistent probing here at Silverstone on Thursday, Hamilton however pleaded no wrong-doing. He instead claimed his two-day holiday in Mykonos - ahead of a race which last month he billed as the most important of the season - was the idyllic preparation.

Speaking about the negative reaction from fans, the triple world champion said: "To be honest I didn't really know about it. My sole focus right now is on this weekend. I have received incredible love from the fans every single year I have been here, and I'm looking forward to seeing them.

"Everyone has the right to make the decision for themselves. I felt it's been a pretty intense season so far and I felt it's the best way to prepare for this weekend. The season is the most important thing for me. That's it.

"People will have their opinions about it. I feel great, being here I feel the best-prepared I can be. It's good to be here. I've tried to prepare the best way I can - quite relaxed for the past few days. I come here excited for the weekend as always.

"You've got the championship which is the most important thing, but a very close second, if not tied, is the British Grand Prix. Being a home grand prix, the home of motor sport, it's such an incredible, intense weekend. Every year it's a must-win for a British driver, so I tried to prepare the best way I could."

"I told the organisers last week that I wouldn't be going. I told Toto and the team and they were very understanding and respectful."

Asked if he would be in attendance if the sport staged a similar event next year, Hamilton, 32, replied: "I guess I will decide when the time comes."

Hamilton is this week bidding to claim a record-equalling fifth British Grand Prix victory, and a fourth in a row here at Silverstone to get his stuttering championship charge back on track.

But the Englishman's decision to dodge the London event has overshadowed his build-up, as well as taking the heat off Silverstone's owners, the British Racing Drivers' Club, who earlier this week announced they will pull the plug on this famous race after 2019 unless they can broker a new deal with Liberty.

Hamilton pointed to his commendable charity work - he spent the afternoon with sick children at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital last week - to those who had accused him of not caring about the sport's fans.

"I think I do try to connect with the fans and I try to engage as much as I can," Hamilton added. "Fans mean everything. They always have.

"I do outside of the sport things that people don't comment on - like visits to young kids in hospitals who can't come to a grand prix.

"Ultimately we have decisions to make and we have to stand firm with those decisions and feel proud of the decisions we make. This weekend I will give everything to shine as much light and raise the flag in the best way I can and drive the best way I can.

"The goal is to win the British Grand Prix. I've been proud and fortunate in the last few years to do that and the aim is to do that again this weekend."

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Hamilton rejected an invitation from FIA president Jean Todt to attend title rival Vettel's investigation hearing in Paris earlier this month.

Vettel was hauled before the governing body to explain why he deliberately banged wheels with Hamilton in Azerbaijan.

Press Association Sport understands Hamilton was asked by Todt if he wished to give his version of events at the Paris meeting, but opted to decline.

Vettel was penalised with a 10-second stop-and-go penalty during the race, but faced no further action from the FIA.