Lewis Hamilton admits he's 'part of consortium' BIDDING for Chelsea
Paul Macdonald
- 22 Apr 2022 12:10 BST
- 4 min read
Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has confirmed he has committed funds to a consortium bidding to take over Chelsea FC.
Sky News revealed that the Mercedes driver has provided £10m to a fund headed up by former British Airways chairman Martin Broughton, whose list of investors also includes tennis star Serena Williams, and these reports have been confirmed by the driver.
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Olympian Sebastian Coe is also part of the star-studded bid looking to muscle its way to the front of the list.
There are still a number of selected bidders looking to prove their wealth and be chosen as the party which takes full ownership from the deposed Roman Abramovich, who has been forced to relinquish control following the crisis in Ukraine.
Chelsea is thought to have an asking price in the region of £3 Billion, but are yet to decide who their new owners will be despite weeks of speculation.
What has Hamilton said?
In the pre-race press conference ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Hamilton revealed that the "Chelsea rumours are true."
"Chelsea is one of the biggest teams in the world," he said. "When I heard about the opportunity, I was like wow, this is a great opportunity to be part of something so great.
"Sir Martin took time to speak to me on the phone and explain to me his and his team's goals if they were to win the bid, which was incredibly exciting and very much aligned with my values," the Mercedes star added.
Tennis great Serena Williams is also involved in the bid and Hamilton is delighted to partner with the American. "We spoke about it. I told her I was going to be involved and she was happy to join."
Hamilton has been slightly criticised for the fact he's an Arsenal fan attempting to buy Chelsea, but he brushed those comments away. "I have been a football fan since I was a kid," he said. "I played in the school team every year in my childhood and I have been to numerous games.
"When I was young, I wanted to fit in and all the kids supported different teams. I remember switching between teams and my sister punching me and saying you have to support Arsenal, so then I became a supporter of Arsenal.
"But my uncle Terry is a big Blues fan and I have been to so many games with him to watch Arsenal and Chelsea play.
"I wanted to be the best player I could be and play for a team. I was trying to try-out for Stevenage Borough but I ended up in the racing space. I could only have dreamed of being part of a team - and that is the ultimate dream."
His on-track rival Max Verstappen had his say on the news, admitting: "I am a PSV fan and I would never buy Ajax. And if I was going to buy a football club I would want to be the full owner and to take the decisions myself, not own just a tiny percentage.
“I thought he was an Arsenal fan? And if you are an Arsenal fan going for Chelsea, that it is quite interesting. But everyone does what they want with their money so let’s see what comes out of it."
The Brit has also previously set up the Hamilton Commission, Mission 44 and pushed F1 into equal opportunities initiatives.
Read more about: Premier League, Chelsea
