Newshub's exclusive catch-up with Kiwi driving royalty Brendon Hartley

The Project team took their petrol-head education up a gear on Friday, sitting down with New Zealand driving royalty.

Brendon Hartley, who may be the best Kiwi driver alive.

But when he spoke exclusively to Newshub's Europe Correspondent Lloyd Burr he was very humble.

"I am noticed and I get asked for autographs, it's a weird feeling and I don't always like it."

It can feel overwhelming and a bit strange Mr Hartley says.

"But every now and then I do have these moments when I'm like, wow I am a Formula 1 driver, there's only 20 of us on the grid and there's thousands of people who would dream to be in my position."

Reaching the pinnacle of world motorsport has not been a straightforward road for the Palmerston North native.

He raced and raced, doing anything he could to climbed the ladder. 

And at the end of last year he got a second chance - a drive with formula one team, Toro Rosso.

He says he has always been a driven man.

"I dreamed of F1 as a kid and looking back it was a ridiculous thing to think it was ever going to happen, but it did. 

"And although the results haven't come, maily through a bit of bad luck, I feel strong and ready to capitalise and show the world I deserve to be in Formula 1.

This desire to prove himself burns strong, but his breakout season has been a rough road.

He's battled mechanical gremlins and of course all those crashes, in Canada, the UK and his last one at Silverstone. 

"Yeah the last crash at Silverstone wasn't particularly fun. The suspension broke at 300km an hour and from then I was more or less a passenger until I hit the wall."

Like he's done in the past, Hartley's taken the knocks and kept on, keeping on.

"There's been a lot of talk in the background, there's been people asking me questions about my future, and there's been rumours," he says.

"I feel in a really good place mentally because I've proven to myself a few times this year that I can 100 percent do this job."

And while he may be living out his childhood dream on the world stage he is still the kid from Palmerston North, he says. 

For the full story with The Project team watch the video above.

Newshub.