Trying to hold on? Nicole Scherzinger embraces ex Lewis Hamilton in a warm hug as the F1 driver keeps a frosty distance

By HOLLY THOMAS



Holding back: Nicole Scherzinger embraced ex Lewis Hamilton in an LA car park, but he didn't reciprocate the hug



The hand in his pocket said it all.

As Nicole Scherzinger leaned in to embrace her ex-boyfriend Lewis Hamilton with a warm hug, the F1 driver kept his distance, not reciprocating the gesture.

The tense encounter made a sorry sight in a Los Angeles car park.

It appeared that while Nicole was making an effort to break the palpable ice, Lewis was having none of it, and maintained a stand-offish demeanor.

The 26-year-old stared at the ground during most of their meeting.



Awkward distance: Nicole looked anguished as Lewis avoided her eyes, staring instead at the ground



Nicole's eyes tried to meet his gaze, but Lewis continued to look away, brushing off her anguished looks.

The couple — whose four year relationship ended last month — shared an awkward silence as they seemed caught at odds.



Keeping it professional: Nicole made no mention of the car park encounter with Lewis on her Twitter page, choosing instead to post this picture of herself on the cover of Shape magazine



And when Lewis kept his hand in his pocket as Nicole attempted a reconciliatory hug the excruciating atmosphere became unbearable.

A dejected Lewis walked away past a shopping mall, Nicole's hurt eyes burning a hole in his back.

His mood was a total contrast to that of two weeks ago, when he triumphed at the season's penultimate F1 race in Abu Dhabi.

Lewis split with U.S. X Factor judge and former Pussycat Doll Nicole, in October after four years.

Reports said he wasn't ready to settle down and have children.

'I'm not ready for a family,' Hamilton is said to have told friends.



Staying private: Lewis was also reserved about the meeting on Twitter, posting instead this picture of himself at a Rebok shoot on the same day as his meeting with Nicole



'By the time I was in the Pussycat Dolls, I was on the scale all the time. It became my enemy because I noticed that when I exercised really hard, I'd gain weight.'

Still very slender, Nicole has nevertheless learned to go a little easier on herself nowadays.

'Now that I'm in my 30s, I've stepped off the scale - I just go by how my clothes fit,' she said.

'I'm more accepting of my body and have learned to really embrace it. It's all about finding balance,' she continued.

'My new motto is: "Stay active, eat everything in moderation, and stop being so tough on myself".'



Happier times: Nicole and Lewis couldn't keep their hands off one another during a romantic holiday in Paris in 2008



source: dailymail