London, Feb 19 (IANS): Hugh Grant enjoys being on 'sexiest film star' lists, but is "embarrassed" by his obsession with cars and thinks it stems from his midlife crisis.

"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," contactmusic.com quoted him as saying.

The 51-year-old actor became a father for the first time last September when actress Tinglan Hong gave birth to his daughter Jessica.

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

"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," he told Total Film magazine.

The actor 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."