Nicole Scherzinger's boyfriend Lewis Hamilton has hinted he will propose this year. The singer and her Formula 1 boyfriend Lewis Hamilton have been in an on/off relationship since 2008, but it looks as if things are getting serious.

Hamilton recently talked to the British newspaper "The Sun" and said that he was getting ready to take the next step with Scherzinger.

"We've been together for five years, which is quite a milestone really," he said. "But hopefully in the near future. Maybe before we get to six years."

That means Hamilton is hoping to pop the question within the year.

The Inquisitr reports that the biggest obstacle for the couple at the moment is their conflicting schedules. Hamilton is often on the road for his Formula 1 races and Scherzinger is busy juding for "The X Factor" in London.

Scherzinger said: "You kinda have to look at the schedules because people will put something in any time that you have off and we're always working. We have to be like, 'OK, this week I'm going to try to make it to this race, if I don't, I've got this performance here; what can you do?' Every minute counts, you know?"

Despite the distance, Scherzinger said their relationship helps keep her grounded in her busy life.

"Yeah, [the relationship] does keep me grounded,' she said. "Lewis and I are a team and we're really there for each other, and the time we spend together I do cherish. It's separate from everything else."

Yahoo! reports that rumors Nicole, 34, and Lewis, 28, were serious about each other first began when her father shockingly claimed they were engaged in 2011.

"You know about the proposal? Yes they are engaged," he said. "My future son-in-law is a really nice guy, really down-to-earth. My family all like him. The good spirit is there."

Nicole's representative quickly denied the speculation.