Hamilton gives UK pavilion pole position

SHANGHAI - The UK pavilion's futuristic and high-tech look will help quash Chinese people's misconceptions of England as stuffy and antiquated, according to McLaren F1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

"Someone mentioned the bowler hats and all that to me. I don't know if any of you have been to London, but it is a very young and hip place," the former F1 world champion said during a tour of the UK pavilion last week, ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix.

"It's full of young people, full of life. It's just a great place to live and I think this structure shows that.