Hugh Grant's midlife crisis

Los Angeles - Hugh Grant is having a midlife crisis.

The 51-year-old actor - who became a father for the first time last September when actress Tinglan Hong gave birth to his daughter Jessica - is "embarrassed" by his new obsession with cars and thinks it stems from questioning his life as he gets older.

He said: "I have a new obsession with cars. It's almost too embarrassing to talk about.

"Motor racing. I go on motor racing trips. I get taught how to drive and now go to bed and read my iPad all about how crankshafts work or disc brakes. It's weird. I don't know where it's come from.

"It's a midlife crisis. That's exactly what's happening to me."

Hugh - who has previously dated Elizabeth Hurley and Jemima Khan - admitted he is only just beginning to understand women.

He told Total Film magazine: "I think [women being inexplicable] is the fascination, isn't it? I've got a bit better at it I think, but I'm a late developer.

"I'm 51 and just beginning to see some of the stuff that's going on that we, as men, are generally moronic about."

The actor also claimed he enjoys appearing on "sexiest film star" lists, but insists they are not his only targets.

He said: "All of those [lists] are pluses. I can't pretend I don't have an ego, and any man would like a bit of that. But it's not my raison d'etre."