Lewis Hamilton admits he's 'part of consortium' BIDDING for Chelsea

Olympian Sebastian Coe is also part of the star-studded bid looking to muscle its way to the front of the list.

Lewis Hamilton admits he's 'part of consortium' BIDDING for Chelsea
Chelsea sale

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton has confirmed he has committed funds to a consortium bidding to take over Chelsea.

Sky News initially 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.

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.

Hamilton has claimed to be an Arsenal fan in the past, which may prove controversial given the rivalry between the London clubs.

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."

He went on to say: "I have been a football fan since I was a kid. I have been to numerous games and I remember switching between teams when I was younger. I have been playing since I was four years old... I remember that at five or six years old I started supporting Arsenal, while my uncle supported Chelsea. In general, however, I am a sports fan."

Hamilton even revealed he tried to become a professional player at his local club Stevenage before focusing on driving.

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."

It is suggested the diversity of the group of investors has piqued Hamilton's interest, with the opportunity to have a say Chelsea's future efforts on equality.

The Brit has also previously set up the Hamilton Commission, Mission 44 and pushed F1 into equal opportunities initiatives.

He went on to give his opinion on why he's keen to be involved in the operations at Chelsea. "We are trying to acquire a team but it is about the community and all the people around it...It is not about associating ourselves with the previous owners."