You know it must be bad when your number one fan says so.

Writing in The Times, Edward Gorman, has suggested that Lewis Hamilton needs a "proper" PR person, a move hardly likely to go down well with the youngster and his father, following the faux pas that was Lewis' appearance as the Greek god Apollo in a theatre production earlier this week.

In a publicity stunt for Vodafone the McLaren driver was persuaded to allow himself to be lowered to the stage dressed in his full racing gear, as the battle of Troy - complete with horse (singular!) - was re-enacted below. It was the sort of ideas that would normally only appeal to those in the advertising industry after several bottles of Cristal or maybe a few lines of 'Peruvian marching powder'.

Suspended from wires, much like a pantomime act, Hamilton looked thoroughly bemused - the scene making the notorious 'Stone 'Enge' moment from This Is Spinal Tap look eminently sensible and professional.

"In the pantheon of ridiculous publicity stunts, it may rate among the greatest," wrote Gorman on Friday. "Dressed in his logoed race driving suit, he looked less like a majestic Apollo than a cross between Peter Pan and an astronaut."

Today, Gorman adds: "Lewis Hamilton's PR disaster on Thursday has underlined the importance of him having his own media consultant to protect him from such misadventures.

"Had he been properly advised, the 23-year-old would not have taken part in the stunt," Gorman continues. "But surprisingly, Hamilton still has no one looking after his own interests. He is still being managed by his father, Anthony, who has resisted suggestions that his son needs an agent or media consultant."

Hamilton's performance, indeed the very concept, has been widely ridiculed, and quite rightly so, leading to Lewis suggesting that he has learned his lesson.

"I just turned up and got on with what I was told to do," he said. "but now I've seen the footage and it's one of the worst things I've ever seen. It's best if I stick to driving."

And you thought Michael looked naff in the L'Oreal ads?